Justice for all
by Stephlite
Summary: Bella's life is turned upside down when her father Charlie is murdered. Her former best friend Jacob Black is the detective hired to work on the case. Neither of them expect what happens when they are forced together to find out who killed Charlie.
1. Life

**I don't own anything Twilight. I do use the characters to have fun with. **

_If you don't know the way and you're lost  
This truth will bridge the gap and carry you across - Flyleaf_

It was a sound I was familiar with that woke me up. The shuffling sound of someone putting clothes on and moving things around. I opened my eyes to see my fiance Edward throwing on a pair of dress pants. That's when it dawned on me. It was Sunday and neither of us were supposed to be working today.

"What are you getting dressed for?" I asked. My voice was still thick from sleep.

Edward jumped a little, startled at my voice and then smiled at me.

"I have to go to a meeting, a new client is interested in ordering from us so I have to go make sure everything goes smoothly." Edward answered as he slipped on his white undershirt. I took a brief second to admire his body before getting angry. It wasn't that the excuse he just gave me was uncommon or that it wasn't something I was use to hearing but when you only get to spend time with the person you love once every few weeks the 'work' excuse gets tiresome.

"You promised me that today was OUR day Edward." I retorted. My voice still cracking from sleep. I tried to clear my throat so I could sound appropriately mad.

"Bella, sweetheart, I promise I will be back in two hours and from then on I will turn off my phone and surrender to your every whim." He said with a hint of irritation which just made me even more angry. I couldn't count how many times I had heard the promise of two hours and how often it would turn into six hours, or eight hours, and him coming home somewhat intoxicated, leaving me feeling cold and angry.

But I knew that to argue with him was pointless, he had a job to do and if one of my girls had called to say they needed me to fix something I would also go. It was what happens when your in business for yourself or in his case, his families business. You never truly have a day off.

I put my head back down on the pillow and let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. But please Edward, try to get home early. I really miss you."

I saw a flicker of something in his sparkling green eyes. It looked like remorse, or maybe sadness. I was a little relieved that at least he felt some sort of regret over the situation. He blew me off frequently and it was getting to the point where I didn't know where I stood in his life anymore. I loved him with everything I had, but sometimes I wasn't so sure if he loved me anymore.

When we were in high school we couldn't be separated. We went to college together where we both obtained degrees in our chosen fields. I thought we were off to a great start when I opened a catering business and he went to work for his father. It had seemed like everything was going perfectly.

Right after college something happened. He started getting stressed out about work, his dad had him on a very short leash. Things haven't been the same since. He proposed last year on my twenty third birthday. I was so happy because for a while I had my old Edward back. He would come home on time and we had most of our weekends together, but then something went wrong at work and since then he has been so distant. Today we were supposed to spend the day together. My guess is my day just opened up.

I watched Edward as he tied his shoes and looked at him sadly. I loved everything about this man, his crazy bronze hair, startling green eyes. His heart breaking smile that seemed to always do weird things to my heart when he smiled at me. He glanced down at me and gave me a quick peck on the forehead. "I'll be home soon Bella." He said as he walked out the door.

I decided to go back to sleep but I kept hearing a buzzing noise coming from somewhere. I ignored it and then it stopped. I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep when I suddenly heard a loud knock on the front door. I glanced at the clock and it said 10:48am. I jumped up to grab my robe to tie it around me and went to see who was so intent on waking me up. I looked out the peephole to see a visibly upset Tyler Crowley, who worked for my dad in the town of Forks minuscule police department.

"Whats wrong Ty?" I asked as I opened the door.

"Bella, I need to come in for a minute and talk to you." He replied.

"Sure, sure, come on in." I said quickly and opened the door wide for him to walk in. I was rather taken by his gloomy demeanor and disheveled uniform, which he usually had on neat as a pin.

"My dad's going to take your badge away if you go to work looking like that." I said jokingly.

Tyler turned to face me and looked as though he was fighting tears. It was startling to see such a big guy so dismantled. "Bella, that's why I am here, it's about your dad." He started and took a deep breath. "Uh, look I want you to sit down."

I felt a cold chill run through my veins. Nothing good was ever said after those words were spoken. I felt a swell of panic run through me.

"Just spit it out Ty. What is it about my dad? Why do I have to sit down? Whats wrong with him? Is he ok?" I started to ramble.

Tyler took me gently by the hand and walked me to the couch and sat me down next to him. "Bella, your dad was in an accident. He was driving down one oh one and crashed." He told me solemnly.

As the words registered a huge pain shot through my chest._ Breathe Bella breathe._

"Is he ok?" I choked.

Tyler shook his head slowly "Bella, he is gone." He told me his voice and large brown eyes were thick with sorrow.

It must have only been seconds, but it felt like it took hours for all the emotions to hit me. My head started to spin. Tears filled my eyes and a knot formed into my throat. I tried hard to breathe and sort the thousands of thoughts running through my head. Tears were falling down my face while Tyler was softly rubbing my back trying to console me. I looked up at him to find he had tears in his eyes.

"How did he crash Ty? He drove that road a million times. How could he have possibly crashed?" I managed to ask through sobs. My heart breaking more with every second that passed.

"I don't know Bella. I came here after I left the hospital." He said. He looked as though he was going to say more but thought better of it.

My mind was running at an impossible pace. So many things were going through my head that it actually felt like it was buzzing. I looked up at Tyler and shook my head. "I have to call Edward." I murmured, suddenly needing the comfort of him surrounding me. Tyler nodded his head and got up. I stood up and walked to my bedroom looking for my cell. I saw my purse sitting on top of my nightstand and opened it up. I shoved through the junk inside to find my cell on the bottom. It had been on vibrate, which explained the buzzing sound when I was trying to sleep. The screen said:

Three Missed Calls.

One New Message.

I opened the call list to see who it was. It said

Missed Calls: Charlie x3.

I broke down into tears. My father had tried to call me this morning and I ignored it because I was upset over Edward breaking his plans with me. A million guilt riddled thoughts ran through my mind. I sobbed a little louder and Tyler came in. "Bella, you OK?" he asked. I nodded my head yes and told him about the missed call while dialing my voice mail. My hands shaking a bit. The voice mail announcer said "One missed call. Today at 8:48 am.'Bella this is your dad, I need to talk to you, its very, _very_ important you call me back right away, it's abo--'..." There was a shuffling sound and another noise I couldn't understand. Then I heard the car engine start up and speed away when the message ended. I looked up at Tyler with a guilty and confused expression. Tyler asked me what it was and I hit save, then replayed the message on speakerphone. My tears streaming down my face. I rubbed them away and looked at Tyler. A hard look ran across his face. "Bella can I take this into the station to have it analyzed?" he asked. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why he would need it analyzed but I nodded my head yes. "Let me call Edward first." I told him.

The phone rang five times and went to voice mail. I sighed frustratedly and figured he would not have answered because he never answers for me anymore. I hung up to call again so that he knew it was important. Sometimes that worked. Most of the time it didn't. And it didn't.

"Edward, its Bella." I took a ragged breath "I need you to come home right away. My dad was in an accident and I really need you. Please come home. Call me back at the house."

I handed my phone to Tyler and stood in the doorway between my bedroom and the hallway leading out the the living room. I rested my head against the door and closed my eyes. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired and drained. My heart aching more with every second.

I looked up at Tyler and saw him looking at my phone as though he was trying to figure it out. "Just press and hold 1 and it automatically dials my voice mail. Then hit 4 to listen to saved messages." I instructed him then walked to the living room to try and sit and figure out what to do next. I was so lost. Tyler followed me to the couch but didn't sit down. Instead he told me something about going to the station to have them take a listen and told me he would drop it back off later. I just nodded and then heard him leave.

I remained sitting on the couch crying for quite some time. I looked at the clock and saw it was almost 3:28pm. I had sat there for four hours and no one had called.

That was when my grief and sadness turned into outright fury. I was alone. I was alone during a time when I needed someone the most. Not just someone, but Edward. I walked to the house phone that was hung up on the wall next to the opening of the kitchen and dialed his number. Rage consuming every fiber of my being.

Voicemail. I hung up and tried again.

Voicemail. I hung up and called again.

Voicemail. I felt the anger cause my whole body to shake and decided if he didn't answer the fucking phone the next time I called, his Armani suits would be covered in bleach. I dialed the phone and it rang three times and then...

"Fuck! Bella! I do NOT have fucking time to fight with you right now! I'll see you when I get home in a couple of fucking hours! So chill the fuck out." Click.

It felt, in the second I heard the click, that my blood had been replaced with flames. I had never been so angry in my entire life. Not only had I never done anything to warrant that kind of response from him, but I felt as though any ounce of hope I had felt for our relationship, or future, was gone.

This house belonged to Edward. It was a gift from his father Carlisle for graduating college. I knew I couldn't be around Edward tonight, and maybe never again. But that wasn't a decision I could make in the state of mind I was in at the moment. But what I did know is I needed to get out of here.

I went into my bedroom and I sat down on the bed and tried to think of where to go. I knew I could go to my dad's, but that thought hurt way to much to even consider. Then it hit me. I could call Angela. She was a great friend and I know she would let me crash on her couch for a while until I could make sense of it all. It would be good to have someone to talk to about it. I felt so scattered and lost. I walked to the phone in the kitchen and dialed Angela's number.

"Ello?" I heard a soft voice answer.

"Ang, its Bella. I have a huge favor to ask you." I asked doing my very best to keep my shit under control. I felt like bursting into tears again but I had to keep it cool till I left or I wouldn't be able to drive over there.

"Sure Bells, whats up?" She asked. I could hear a smidgeon of concern in her voice. It wasn't often I actually needed help.

"I need a place to crash for a few days. I will explain when I get there, I know that Corey is in the guest room but I can crash on the couch or something I..." I tried to explain but was interrupted by Angela.

"Bella, of course you can stay, Corey is actually gone for a few weeks, he went to visit a friend in California. Are you ok?" She said sounding even more concerned.

"Well, to be honest, no. But I can't talk about it now, I will grab some things here and fill you in when I get there, I'm actually surprised you haven't heard, with the way this town talks." I said with the thought actually dawning on me the second I said it. In fact, no one has even called to check on me. Either I was not as popular as I thought, or something was off.

I remember when Harry Clearwater passed there wasn't one minute without someone calling or coming by offering condolences to my dad for losing his best friend. But it was a thought I had to figure out when I got out of this house. I was feeling sick just being here.

"Well come on over Bells, I am off today and tomorrow. So I'll see you when you get here."

"Thanks Ang. See you in a minute." I said and hung up.

I walked to the bedroom and grabbed my suitcase setting it on the bed. I started filling it with almost the entire contents of my dresser. Then it dawned on me I was still in my pajamas. I sat down on the edge of the bed next to my suitcase and looked at my reflection in my dresser mirror. My hair was a mess, my eyes puffy, and nose red. I hadn't felt this low in such a long time. My mind was tired from trying to think and not think at the same time. I let out a long slow sigh and got up off the bed. I grabbed a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t shirt and put them on then I walked into the bathroom and grabbed my hairbrush and brushed out the tangles in my long brown hair till it was smooth and straight. I grabbed a hair tie and threw my hair back into a pony tail. I knew trying to throw any kind of make up on would be pointless, and it wasn't as though I needed it anyway since I hardly ever wore it in the first place. I grabbed my toothbrush and did a quick brushing, and then grabbed the rest of my toiletries and put them inside of my red and black travel case and placed it inside of the suitcase and closed it up. Anything else could wait. I had to make sure to leave before Edward came home. I knew if he saw me leaving he would talk me out of it and I was entirely too upset to allow that to happen. I needed to be alone, or at least in a place where I could think about things without having to worry about anyone else. Angela's would be perfect because she was good at knowing when to ask questions and when to back off. It was exactly the kind of retreat I needed at this moment. I could figure things out easier over there.

I walked out the door and over to my baby. A beautiful, newly renovated 1963 Chevy pickup. It was my first vehicle. My dad got it for me in High School. Everyone had something awful to say about the truck back then, but I loved it. It had character. It was unique, like me. It didn't fit in anywhere. The way I had always felt like a square peg in a round hole world. It fit me nicely. Two square pegs. Edward had hated it most of all. So last year when I went to Jacksonville to visit my mom, he had it renovated. Or as he said, "I pimped your truck!". I was shocked. It looked so different. He had painted it a blood red color, the bench seat in the front was redone in black leather and he put an amazing sound system in it. Not to mention a brand new engine.

It must have cost a lot and it looked pretty but I missed the way it use to be. The quirks it had. Like the way when the horn didn't work I could use the metal on my key chain and touch the steering column with it and it would honk. Or how the headlight switch had to be jiggled a certain way before turning on the headlights. Not that I didn't appreciate what he had done, but I liked my truck just fine the way it was and thought it was an unnecessary expense. But that was Edward, always making sure to get his way.

I started the engine and listened to the loud purr of the shiny new engine inside. I closed my eyes remembering the day my dad gave me the truck. Knowing how prone to accidents I was, he said "This thing will take out anything that comes your way Bells. It will keep you safe when I can't." I remember taking my then best friend, Jacob Black, out for my first drive in this truck and we drove to First Beach. We sat in the bed of the truck and talked and laughed for hours about everything. I smiled at the memory and hurt at the same time and felt tears threaten to surface. I pushed the memory down and started the drive to Angela's house. Intensely missing the friend that I once held so close to my heart, hurting from the loss of my dad, and mourning the future I had once hoped for.

When I had pulled up to Angela's driveway and turned the truck off I saw a flicker in the curtain and saw the front door open with Angela walking out into the dreary darkness wrapping herself in her sweater a little tighter. When she got up to the truck she looked at my tear stained face and cocked her head to the side and as I opened the door she helped me out and gave me a long hug not even asking what was wrong.

That was so like Angela, never one to pry, just always there, a true friend. It was at that moment that all the tears I had been holding in came out. I started sobbing into her shoulder. She quietly shushed my sobs, and softly stroked my back, in such a way that it reminded me of the way my mom would stroke my back when I was upset. It was so relieving to have someone I could trust hold me while I cried. After a few minutes she pulled back. "Let's get your stuff in the house, its going to start raining any second." I nodded and grabbed my suitcase.

When we got inside of the house she walked me to her guest room and I walked in behind her and sat my suitcase down next to the bed. She turned to me and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What on Earth happened Bells?" She asked softly.

I felt the words form in my throat but the pain was too much to actually say them out loud. I looked at her through tearful eyes and finally managed.

"My dad died in an car accident this morning." I said breaking into sobs.

"OH! Honey!" Angela exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears.

We sat on the bed crying together for a long time. She had been my best friend since 9th grade when I had first moved to Forks to live with my dad and he was like a second dad to her.

She started to compose herself and looked at me with hard eyes. "So where is Edward?" She asked.

I blinked the tears from my eyes and rubbed them away. I told her about my day and how it all unfolded. I told her about the voice mail my dad had left me, and how Tyler wanted it analyzed. Which we both agreed was strange along with how strange it was that no one has seemed to know about it. Then I spit out the phone call I had made to Edward and what had transpired.

"What a fucking dick!" She exclaimed. Which for her to use profanity was incredible. It was like a Blue Moon. It only happened once or twice a year. I was in shock but I nodded my head in agreement.

"Well, I can see why you need to be here." She said after a minute, still seething, then she looked at me with teary, sympathetic eyes obviously not knowing what to tell me.

"I need to use your phone. I have to call Ty and see when he can bring me my phone." I told her. Angela nodded and we walked out to the living room. I picked up the black cordless phone sitting on top of the coffee table and dialed the Police Department phone number. A male voice picked up on the other end.

"This is Isabella Swan, I'd like to speak with Officer Crowley please." I told him.

"Oh, Isabella." He said then paused. "This is Sam Uley. I'm so sorry about your dad. He was a great man."

I managed to squeak out a polite thank you and then heard him put the phone on hold.

I heard a voice come back on the phone. "This is Tyler. Isabella?" I heard him ask over the phone.

"Yeah, its me Ty. I was calling about my phone." I said quietly.

"I had went to your house but you weren't home, where are you? Are you ok?" He asked sounding a bit panicked.

"I'm fine. I am at Angela's house." I told him.

"Don't leave. I'll be there soon with your phone." he said then hung up.

I was a little confused by his behavior and told Angela about it.

"Its so weird that no one has called you Bells." she contemplated.

I sat there wondering why that could be for a minute. Why would the police keep a car crash a secret? Unless there's more to it. There was definitely more to it, but what? I glanced at the time on the cable box. 7:18pm. Angela was sitting next to me and my guess is she sensed that I wasn't in the mood to talk about the days events any further so she started telling me the story about her cousin Corey and the person he was visiting in California. Apparently they had started an online relationship and this was their first meeting. I was so grateful to her for her consideration, there would be no way to repay her for her kindness. I started to ask her what his new found loves name was when I heard the crunching of gravel and saw headlights beam through the curtains. "That must be Ty with my phone I told Angela." She nodded and I got up to answer the door when I heard a loud knocking on the door.

"No need to knock the house down Ty..." I started to say and stopped short because it wasn't Tyler Crowley. It was Edward with a less than pleased look on his face.


	2. Broken

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Twilight owns me. **

_I used to think that I was strong  
Until the day it all went wrong - Perfect World by Simple Plan_

_

* * *

_**Bella POV**

"Do you mind telling me why my fiance has packed her things and left?" He asked sharply.

My first reaction upon looking into his eyes was to slam the door in his face. It was the one I went with. Now, this was a dumb decision on my part because if I knew Edward, and I did, when he is angry or upset he reacts without thinking, which he did. The result of me trying to slam the door in his face was him simultaneously throwing the door back open causing the large metal door to swing back in my direction and hit me in the face. Hard.

"Ahhh!" I yelled feeling a throbbing over my right eye and cheekbone. I held my face with my hands. My head was ringing a little and it caused me to be disoriented. I heard Angela gasp behind me.

Then I heard Edward's voice ring out. "Oh shit, Bella! I am so, _so_ sorry!" He said, then tried to take my hands down to look at my face. I suddenly became engulfed in rage. I felt fury take over my body and did something that I would never normally do.

*S L A P*

"Get the hell away from me, you horrible piece of shit!" I cried. Not caring one way or another if that would have hurt his feelings. My hand was stinging from the force of contact that it made with his face. Yet, I was positive there was no way that my hand hurt him as bad as the door had hurt me

I was usually good about keeping my temper, but not today. I didn't even bother to look to see if what I had done had any effect. I saw Angela standing next to the doorway of the kitchen and her mouth was gaping open. I shook my hand then held my face and started walking towards the kitchen to grab some ice for what was sure to be a bruised eye and cheek.

When I entered the kitchen I saw Angela already standing next to the fridge holding a bag of frozen peas and she looked at me sympathetically.

"Wow, Bells, that is not going to look pretty." She stated.

"It doesn't feel real pretty either." I replied lamely.

I heard footsteps walking up behind me. Then Angela's face suddenly went to stone. She was looking over my shoulder and cocked an eyebrow.

"Bella, please, just talk to me. I know I was a jerk earlier but you called me at the wrong time. I know I wasn't home when I said I would be but..." I whirled around to face him once again furious.

"You self absorbed asshole!" I screamed. I was a little satisfied by the shocked expression on his face. Surely he had never ever seen me this angry or hurt. "You didn't even bother to check the fucking voicemail I left you did you? I needed you today. Not because your _always_ gone, every single day, but because _my father died_!" I felt the tears in my eyes filling up and making my bruised eye ache as I started to sob again, glancing up at his face momentarily.

I saw a look of comprehension dart across his face and then a look of devastation but he stayed silent for a long time obviously speechless. Then he reached out to hold me but I stood rigid holding the frozen peas against my eye and pulled myself away. A huge part of me wanting to give in and just allow him to comfort me, but the stubborn, prideful, and hurt side of me not willing to let him off that easy. I looked up into his face not seeing very clearly from my right eye as it was blurry from tears and pain. "I just need some time alone Edward. Just give me that." I said with a slightly less abrasive tone.

My heart was breaking into a million pieces. I was so conflicted that I had no idea what I really wanted or felt. One part wanted to go back home with Edward and let him soothe me, another part still wanted to punch his face, another larger part was heartbroken over losing my dad, all of me was overwhelmed and fatigued from grief and stress.

Logically I knew that if I spent at least one night here, it would give me some time to straighten out my mind. Edward looked at me through sorrowful eyes and nodded. "I understand. I..." He started to say something then stopped himself, gathered his thoughts, then continued. "Bella, take as much time as you need. I love you, I will be waiting for you when your ready to come home. I know what I did was unforgivable, even more so given the circumstances. But I swear to you, that will never happen again. I am so sorry Bella, for everything." I just shook my head and saw Angela point to her door.

"Thanks for stopping by and jacking up my best friend Cullen." She said shortly.

Edward gave her a sideways glance and walked to the front door, as he turned I saw a pink hand print on his face. He walked out the door just as Tyler walked up to it. Edward and Tyler never cared much for each other so all they did was nod as they passed each other. Tyler looked curiously at Edwards face. Then Tyler turned his eyes toward me and his mouth dropped open.

"Bella! What happened to your face?" He said first with astonishment then angrily said "If _Cullen_ did that to you Bella I will happily throw his pampered, pretty boy ass in the slammer!"

"It was an accident, truly, Tyler." I said tiredly. I was completely drained. I didn't know if I even had anything left in me. I looked at the time. 8:08pm. Not too early to pass out. I decided.

Tyler then smiled at Angela who was standing on the other side of the room and asked "Is that true Angela? You know I would love nothing more than to give that guy whats coming to him."

Angela smiled warmly back at him and said "Unfortunately its true, it was an accident. I'd be the first to tattle on that jerk, trust me." She claimed.

I decided to end the Edward hate fest before I started to feel the protective need to defend him. They were right, even to me right now he was scum.

"I think you were here to return something of mine Tyler, right?" I asked hoping he'd change the subject. Tyler had a cautious expression on his face as he finished walking into the living room. He handed me my phone and then looked oddly uncomfortable being there. It was not his style, ever since he joined the force he had an air of confidence and took command of a room but now he just looked unhappy. He looked around the house and then back at me.

"Everything OK Tyler?" I asked. I wasn't entirely certain I wanted the answer to that question.

He looked uncomfortable again and said "Maybe I should come back tomorrow."

"Tyler, honestly, I doubt that my day could get any worse. Right?" I said hoping the answer would be a resounding N-O.

"Well, lets take a seat Bells." Tyler said hinting that, indeed, my day would get worse.

I closed my left eye since my right one was already closed half way from pain, half from swelling. I let out an exasperated sigh. How could it get any worse? I took a seat in the recliner and started to prep myself for the news ahead. Tyler took a seat on the couch and paused before speaking.

"We suspect, that there was some foul play involved in your fathers crash." He said finally.

It was as though my brain hit its limit of bull shit. I could no longer think.. I was pretty sure I was about to feel pissed off but my mind was taking a while to process the information. When it started to sort through the information, my thoughts went as follows.

Someone killed my father? Someone thought it was a good idea to take my father away from me? Someone intentionally took my fathers life. Charlie Swan. The police chief of Forks. A guy who has done nothing wrong his entire life. The man who bought me cobbler at the diner every Thursday? The man that was supposed to walk me down the aisle? The man who loved me beyond reason. The man who made sure I was safe every single day that I lived here? Someone murdered that man?

"Oh." I responded stupidly. I took a deep breath in and it seemed to have hurt worse than my face did. I blew out the breath and took another painful breath. I had to do something to distract me from the feeling... My mind clicked on to logical mode and started to think rationally.

It finally made sense, why Ty wanted to analyze the message. Why he was panicked when I wasn't at my house. The reason why no one has called is because the police didn't want a bunch of people freaking out and messing up their investigation. Hell, they were probably raiding my dads house as we speak looking for any clues as to who did this or what happened.

"Why is foul play suspected Ty?" I finally asked, my voice barely over a whisper.

"I can't get into specifics just yet. We aren't releasing this information to anyone. I wanted to let you know since your next of kin and I know you wont say anything. Also, we need you to be careful because until we find out a reason why this happened and who did this we want you to take some precautions to be extra aware of whats going on. We are hiring a detective from another area to come here and help us solve it, you know we don't have this kind of thing happen here so no one is trained much in homicide." Tyler explained.

Homicide. The word made me want to vomit. How in the world is this happening? I stood up and looked at Tyler with my good eye. "Thanks Tyler. I appreciate your honesty. When can I start notifying people?" I asked solemnly.

Tyler smiled at me and said " Tomorrow, the detective, well hey, I guess that's the good news. The detective we are hiring is from Seattle, I think you know him, Jacob Black? Weren't you guys best friends in high school?" He asked.

Now, I know that was meant to make me feel better. But Jacob and I didn't really part on good terms. In fact, for all I knew Jacob hated me and I felt another ache in my heart and my stomach turned at the thought. He had been my best friend. He was the best person I had ever met until Edward moved into town.

As much as I tried to calm the waters between them they couldn't ever get along. Edward tried to be accepting of our friendship, but Jacob couldn't stand having to "compete for my attention" as he put it. I thought it was ridiculous and childish and I told him so. Jacob's flaw was his pride, and I guess me calling him childish was enough for him to walk away from me. He always had this age issue. I was nearly two years older than him and no matter what happened ,if the issue of age came up, it would turn into a battle. I remember after I had called him childish his face turned hard and he looked me in the eye and said "Your always going to think of me as some dumb kid aren't you?" All I said was "As long as you keep acting like one, then yeah." He walked out of my house and my life that day. I had tried calling him several times and convince him that we had only had an argument and that it was silly to throw away a lifelong friendship over something so trivial, but he never responded to any of my messages.

That was five years ago. I had only seen him a couple of times since then, but he never spoke a word to me. Edward told me that sometimes people grow apart and that it was a natural progression in life. I understood that but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Bella? You OK?" Tyler asked his expression confused. " Your looking a little lost there. You are friends with him, aren't you?"

"Was, Tyler. We, _were_ friends. He didn't get along with Edward." I explained then saw Tyler look uncomfortable again. He smiled lightly and mumbled "Oh. Damn. Sorry."

I turned to go walk down the hallway to the bedroom when I heard Angela say "Nope. No way girl. You might have a concussion, no sleep for you for at least 4 hours." She instructed then she walked Tyler outside to his car.

I turned around and plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. I needed a get away. I felt so numb inside, as though there could positively be nothing more that could be done to me. I turned on reruns of Friends and just focused on the TV. Nothing on the screen made me laugh, but it was nice to not think about things anyway. When Angela came in she sat down in the recliner her cheeks were flushed with pink.

"Is it cold out?" I asked.

She looked at me oddly and nodded her head yes. "Yeah, but I don't think you should be going anywhere Isabella." She responded.

"No, that's not why I asked, I just saw your fa..." I had started to explain but my stomach made a horrendous sound that was akin to the sound a starving buffalo would make. That's when I realized I hadn't eaten one thing the entire day. Not that I had much of an appetite at all, but I was starving. Angela was looking at me with wide eyes.

"Whoa, okay you need food A.S.A.P." She told me and she got up to walk to the kitchen but stopped short of the entrance and turned to look at me.

I looked at her skeptically. If there was one thing I knew it was food, it was my major in college and I can make some great food. I also knew that Angela was the kind of cook that could mess up instant pudding. I sat up on the couch and grabbed my cell phone off the coffee table. I dialed the number to Pacific Pizza and ordered two large supreme pizzas. Angela gave me a sly smile.

"Good thinking." She said. She sat down next to me and put her arm around my shoulders. "You know you can stay here as long as you need. I know that times are going to be tough on you for a while, but I will be here for you no matter what. Just say the word." She said and hugged me. I hugged her back and felt my eyes tear up, the right one throbbing a little. "Thanks. I really appreciate that. I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am to have you as a friend. I think tomorrow is going to be a hell of a day." I confessed.

Tomorrow, the day I come to grips with my fathers death and deal with people knowing, another day of deciding how to handle my relationship with Edward, and the day I have to come face to face with my former best friend. One hell of a day.

* * *

**A/N Next chapter is going to be longer and from Jacobs POV.**


	3. Highway

**AN: I know its been a long long time since I updated but between illness and schedule changes and all that jazz I have had no time to write. The chapters should start coming more regularly from here on out. Thanks for your patience.**

_Friends and liars_  
_ Don't wait for me_  
_ Cause I'll get on_  
_ All by myself_  
_ Put millions of miles_  
_ Under my heels_  
_ And still too close to you_  
_ I feel_

_I am the Highway - Audioslave_

Jacob

I am sitting in my car outside of my dads house. I don't really want to be here, and if it had happened to anyone other than Charlie I wouldn't be. Maybe that's a lie, I would come out here for anyone from the rez but not anyone else. I still can't wrap my mind around how anyone could even find it in their hearts to kill a man like Charlie. He was good through and through. Did the right thing everyday of his life. It's unfathomable and the person responsible must have been someone Charlie knew to get the drop on him like they did. Sickening really.

I need to go into the house and get settled but there is something very unsettling about being here. Don't get me wrong, coming home and seeing my friends and family is always nice but due to the circumstances its not pleasant. The fact that I will have to work on a case like this so close to the one person I try so hard to avoid is even more unsettling for me personally. I would love to say that I was mature enough to let go of the past and let bygones be bygones but, I don't think I have it in me. I will do this job, get the asshole responsible for this, kick their ass, lock them up, and go back home to Seattle. Back to the life that leaves me unscathed.

I looked up at the house and saw the curtains moving back. I grunted a little. They have seen me, which means I can no longer put off the inevitable. I reach into the backseat of my car and grab the overnight duffel not really willing to grab the suitcase I packed. I refuse to believe I'll need to be here that long. I go up to the door and let myself in and I saw my father sitting in his wheelchair next to the couch.

"Hello son." He greeted me, sounding solemn.

"Hey dad." I replied and sat my duffel bag down next to the front door. I walked over to him and bent down to give him a quick hug hello.

"How was the drive?" He asked.

"Oh, well, it was long. As usual." I answered feeling a slight awkwardness. I knew my dad didn't want to ask me to come here. He knew my reasons for leaving in the first place. He also knew how much more difficult it would be considering the circumstances. I'd be working on a case that would put me directly into the attention of the one person I shouldn't be around, and another person I don't want to be around.

"Sue Clearwater brought some stew over. It's in the refrigerator if you need to eat." My dad offered.

I nodded my head in acknowledgment and walked into the kitchen. Its not as though me and my father had much to say, we had talked for an hour before I left to come here and I was grateful to know Sue had done that for my dad and it just so happens that I was starving. I had made a dinner date with a girl I've been seeing but had to break it when I found out about everything. I'm glad to be here in that sense because she was getting a little too close. I am just not a relationship kind of guy and she seemed to be a stage five clinger. It's a good thing shes hot or else I wouldn't be able to stand her.

I put a bowl of stew in the microwave and set the timer and waited for it to cook. When it was done I sat at the tiny kitchen table and wolfed down the bowl of stew. It was good and filling. I missed the home cooked meals in Seattle. My life out there was so busy that I rarely ever had a chance to cook anything, not that I would want to eat my own cooking, but before I moved to Seattle I had rarely ever ate fast food, between Sam and Emily, Sue and Leah Clearwater, and my dad's fried fish, fast food was a luxury now its the exact opposite.

I got up and washed my bowl then put it back up in the cupboard. I walked into the living room where my dad was watching ESPN. I sat on the couch and looked at the time. 9:00pm. I suddenly felt the drain of the drive and the warm fullness from the stew hit me all at once and started to feel drowsy. My dad looked at me and mentioned that he had set my room up for me and I smiled and nodded. I kind of just wanted to soak in all this time with my dad. I felt bad for the guy. He has lost both of his best friends. Who would go fishing with my dad now? I felt a rush of guilt for leaving him here alone. I felt as though I had to do something about his situation. I guess I could try to come up on my days off, but then again, I don't have many days off. I need to find someone else who enjoys sports and fishing as much as my dad so that he wont feel as lonely. A project for me to work on while I'm here, and another way for me to avoid Bella.

A large yawn engulfed my throat. My dad looked at me and said "Go to bed son, you have to be up early to get to the station." I nodded in agreement and walked into my old bedroom and plopped down on my bed. I looked around at the familiar surroundings. It looked exactly the way I had left it 3 years ago. A few boxes were put in there for storage but other than that it was the same. I stretched out and closed my eyes and felt the weight of sleep falling on me and I briefly sat up enough to take off my sweater and undershirt and pull my pants off and slide under the covers. I closed my eyes once again and allowed the sleep to take me.

I heard a loud knocking sound and sat up. I looked at the clock. It was already 5:30am. I could smell bacon and smiled. I got up and groggily walked over to the door and opened it. Leah Clearwater was standing there and looked down and laughed.

"Well good morning to you too." She said with a smirk and then glanced down again. I looked down and saw a morning erection poking out of my briefs. I laughed and then closed the door walking over to where I had left my pants and put them on. It would have been embarrassing if it had been anyone else. Leah was like family to me so the thought of her seeing me like that wasn't too shameful. I walked back to the door reopened it and saw she was no longer standing there.

I followed the scent of bacon into the kitchen and saw my dad, Sue Clearwater, and Leah sitting at the table and a feast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes were sitting on the small dining room table. I gave Sue a large smile and gave her a sideways hug as she sat at the table.

"Damn dad, looks like they are doing a good job keeping you fed." I said playfully. My dad smiled. "Yes, its a good thing too or I'd have to survive on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." I smiled at Sue and grabbed a plate and piled on as much as the plate could hold. Sues eyes went wide and she laughed. "I thought Seth ate a lot." I looked at her and smiled. "I have to keep up my strength somehow, I can't keep these things strong without a lot of fuel." I responded and lifted my arms in a bicep curl. I saw Leah roll her eyes and Sue laughed while my dad gave a low chuckle.

The rest of breakfast was delicious and quiet, as the talk died down, it allowed me and everyone else to remember why I was here and a silent mourning came over the table. When I finished my plate I helped with the dishes and thanked Sue for her delicious meal. "Its good to have you back Jacob. This place isn't the same without you." I nodded in acknowledgment. Not agreeing or disagreeing. I know my dad misses me and it must be hard being the only one here, with only Sue to come and help out here and there. I didn't really want to think much about it right now I had bigger problems on my hands. I had to get to work. It was the reason I was here. I couldn't allow my guilty feelings distract me from the job I had to do.I walked outside in the muggy air and grabbed my suitcases. I brought it inside and pulled out a dark gray suit and navy blue tie and lay it down on the bed. I hopped into the shower and then got dressed to go into the station. On the ride there I stopped to grab a coffee from the convenience store along the way. I walked in and saw the clerk she didn't look familiar to me, though, I guess she wouldn't since I mostly stayed on the rez, she was sitting behind the counter reading a copy of InTouch, and barely glanced my way. I walked to the coffee area and grabbed a cup.

"Jacob Black?" I heard a voice behind me call. I turned around to see it was a guy from Forks High that use to pal around with Bella's clique. He walked over to me and said "I'm Ben. I went to Forks High with Bella Swan?" he had said in a rhetorical way and continued "I heard about Chief Swans passing and that you were hired to find out who it was and I just wanted to tell you I hope you nail the son of a bitch who did this." I nodded in agreement. "I will. Chief Swan was family to us." Ben nodded his head it was awkward for a moment and then said in a whispered voice "Stay away from the burrito rolls here, unless you want to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom." then patted his stomach to emphasize the point. I half smiled at him "Thanks for the tip." and chuckled. He walked to the soda machine and I went to the cashier to pay for my coffee.

As I walked out of the store I felt a tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see a puppy about the same size of my shoe. I tried to shake him off and the persistent, skinny little thing wouldn't let up. I squatted down to loosen his grasp on the hem of my pant. "This is a 300 dollar suit little guy, I highly doubt you could pay for it." I told him and then he let go of the pants and jumped on my lap and was bouncing up and down trying to lick my face. I started to laugh a little and put him back down on the ground. "I got to go to work." I said to him and felt a tug at my heart for leaving him there.

Just then Ben came out and rolled his eyes. "Is that dog still here? He's been here for a week now. I think the cashier feeds him at night before they leave, there's usually a bowl of water around here too." he said looking around briefly. I looked down to see the pleading little brown eyes looking up at me. Ben continued, "Animal control should have got him by now. Don't know how they miss him. I'm off to work, see ya around Jacob." he said and got into his truck and left. I bent down and picked up the small beady eyed animal who was wriggling with joy at my very touch. I put him inside of my car and decided to take him up to my dads for a place to stay so I could figure out what to do with him. "Look, dog, I'm doing you a favor here so you do me one and not mess up my car, deal?" The dog jumped and made a little yip sound sounding like he understood perfectly. I grinned at him and started back to my dads.

After the detour back to my dads I drove to the station prepared to get down to business. As I walked into the station I was greeted by a deputy with dark brown hair who was rather short. Only about 5'6 or so. He seemed to know who I was right away and after a quick introduction I learned his name was Braddock and he immediately took me to his desk where he had piled all of the information for me to look over. I sat in the hard plastic chair adjacent to his office chair and grabbed up the paperwork, I looked it over carefully. It was basically the same information Sam had told me in the beginning. Medical examiner found traces of chloroform on and around his mouth and nose, his baton was resting in the floorboard of his squad car not in the holster he always kept it in. It seems as though someone put Charlie out and used his baton to hold down the accelerator to cause the crash, but what killed Charlie was a blow to the head that was inconsistent with the finding at the crash. His body was found slouched over onto the passengers side no seat belt, which Charlie would never drive without one, he was a stickler for the rules, and there was no blood on the steering wheel to suggest he hit his head on it or the dashboard. The blood was pooled on the seat and floor but no where else. Only one partial finger print was found on the side of the door. It was being sent in for analysis. Who ever set this up was sloppy, scared, and not a professional.

I grabbed the photographs that were in an envelope inside the file and took them out. I was preparing myself to see the man I admired my whole life destroyed. It wasn't an easy thing to prepare for and it didn't help much. Tears threatened my eyes and knots were forming in my throat and stomach as I looked through the photos. I always prided myself on being objective but this was so close to home I wasn't sure I'd be able to be. I put down the photos after going through them telling myself to go back through them again later. I read Tylers notes that he left regarding his informing of Isabella Swan and the message that Charlie had left for her. My heart ached thinking of her. I shrugged the feeling away and I decided to take a listen of the message for myself.

I got up from the desk and walked down a narrow hallway to a small room marked "Investigations" and walked inside. I was greeted by another deputy named Stoley who showed me to a computer where the voicemail had been saved. I played it several times trying to picture what was going on. It seemed as though someone didn't want Charlie to finish that sentence. I was going through the evidence that was brought back from his house. His personal computer was in a bag ready to be shipped to Seattle for the investigative unit to go through. His work computer didn't have much other than the norm.. Traffic violations, a couple of drug busts, domestic disputes, the usual.

I sighed, frustrated, hoping that something was on his personal computer that could give me a lead. Right now it was dead end. All I knew for suspects was that it was someone he knew, that was inexperienced as a murderer, and had access to chloroform. It was odd that that was used, I thought, since its long been outlawed. I decided to go around town and ask a few people I knew around town if they knew of anyone who was angry with Charlie. It was a long shot but it was worth a try. I needed to get a start on this so I could get back to Seattle as soon as possible.

I called Sam Uley. He was a close friend and I was sure he was to become the next Police Chief. He was next in line for it.

"Uley" He answered.

"Hi Sam, its Jake." I replied

"Jacob, hey brother, your in town? I'm on my way to the station." He started.

"Yeah I'm actually at the station right now. I am thinking of getting a few officers to help me question a few people." I responded.

"Well, I'll go with you, and Braddock and Mayland could go too." he said sounding the part of man in charge. I smiled.

"Sounds good. Where can I find them?" I asked.

"I'll radio them and tell them to meet you in chief Swans office." he decided.

"OK see you soon." I walked to the back of the station where Charlies office had been. Walked around looking at things. There were a few pictures on the walls, some artificial plants adorning the corners of the office, a bookshelf packed with books, filing cabinet, desk that looked empty since his computer had been removed, all that sat on it was a phone and some picture frames. I sat in the chair behind the desk and waited for Sam and the other two officers to arrive. I glanced at the pictures on his desk, there was one of him and my dad with Charlie holding a huge fish, both of them smiling triumphantly. I smiled at the picture. Next to that was a picture of Isabella's graduation picture. I decided not to spend much time looking at that. Then there was a picture of the good ol days. It had me standing next to Bella with my arm around her and Charlie on the other side grinning. My heart sank a little remembering that day. Just then Braddock and Mayland walked in and I got up to introduce myself and shortly after Sam walked in.

The plan was for Mayland and Braddock talk to businesses around the area of the crash to see if they had heard or seen anything while Sam and I talked to the people that were closest to Charlie. Which meant me having to face Isabella after 5 years of silence. There was a distinct sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Fortunately for me Sam was around back in the day when it was me and Bella against the world. He saw the love I had for her and he knew how hard this was going to be for me, he knew that I had once expected Charlie to be my father in law. I shoved all the feelings that were starting to overwhelm me down deep and buried them. It did me no good to reminiscence now. Sam had been told by Tyler Crowley that Bella was staying at Angela's house and it was a quick drive to her house from the station. As we pulled into the drive way my cell phone rang. It was Tanya, the girl I was dating back in Seattle. I walked to toward the street my back facing the house.

"Hello?" I answered

"Hello sexy," I heard her sultry voice purr.

"Hey there," I said as I smiled in spite of myself. It was definitely a boost to a mans ego when a woman like that finds him sexy.

"Where are you? I stopped by this morning for some, um, breakfast." She flirted. I knew the last thing on her mind was breakfast.

"I had an emergency call, I have had to go back home. I'm actually in the middle of something right now, can I call you back when I'm done?" I asked. There was a silence and then I heard her sigh.

"Yeah call me back." She said flatly. I hung up and heard a sweet, familiar voice behind me.

"Jacob?" I knew who it was before I even turned around.

**AN: the puppy has a purpose. :o)**


	4. Conflicted

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and alerts! It thrills me that you can read this and enjoy it. Much love to you all! XOXO**

****Stephenie Meyers owns me and Twilight and her characters. :o)**

_I'm over this  
I'm tired of living in the dark  
Can anyone see me down here  
The feeling's gone  
There's nothing left to lift me up  
Back into the world I've known _

_Away From The Sun – Three Doors Down_

**Bella**

I woke up this morning feeling the full effects of a bruised eye and grief. I got out of bed wincing at the blazing sun bursting into the room. It was rare that we had this much sun. I felt an enormous amount of motivation to get moving, not wanting to think about the previous day or the plans I would have to make later on. I walked over to my suitcase and pulled out a black v neck sweater, a pair of dark blue jeans, and my under garments then headed for the shower, taking my phone inside with me for the music.

It would have been a relaxing time had it not been for the 10 calls I had to ignore. I figured that by now the entire town has found out and people were already calling. I had to prepare for this. I decided the best way to handle my grief was to just to keep busy and not think about it all right now. Just keep moving. I got dressed slowly absorbing the warmth of the humid bathroom.

I went back into the bedroom and put my makeup case on the dresser. I groaned at the reflection staring back at me from the dresser mirror. There was a bluish purple bruise sitting on my eye brow and a paler one barely resting on my cheekbone. I combed out my wet hair and the tried my best to cover the ugly purple bruise that sat on my eyebrow and cheek. It was no use, the concealer covered nothing. I gave up and walked out to the living room where Angela was on the phone talking to someone. I had caught the very last part of the conversation, which confirmed my suspicions. People know. Angela gave me a sympathetic smile when I sat down next to her on the couch.

"That was Mrs. Cope. She's sending a fruit basket but she heard you weren't home so she wanted to know where it should go." She said simply.

"Ah. I see." I said. _A fruit basket_? I thought, well, the woman was always a little odd I supposed. I'm sure she really just wanted the dirt on why I wasn't home with Edward, but everyone knows Angela's not one to gossip. Oh how I loved her for that. I leaned back into the couch and heard a car pull up in the drive way.

I leaned over to see through the semi translucent curtains and I saw a patrol car park and watched as Sam Uley got out and then watched as the passenger side door opened and a very tall, big guy in a suit got out. There was something familiar about the way he moved. I couldn't see his face clearly through the curtains and Angela got up to answer the door. I sat watching as the man in the suit walked towards the street. I heard Angela greeting Sam and the name Jacob spoken.

My heart fell to my stomach. I knew it was going to happen but was not prepared for it to be this early. I wished like crazy that the first time we were to speak after so many years of silence that it wasn't due to these circumstances. I swallowed a knot in my throat and got up to walk outside and get the awkwardness out of the way. I said a quick hello to Sam while passing him and Angela in the entry way. I walked across the lawn and stood behind Jacob and waited as he ended his phone call.

"Jacob." I said, my voice sounding small and broken, even to my own ears. He turned around and his shocked eyes met mine. Now, I wasn't sure if it was a rational thing to do or not but I had a sudden impulse to hug him. So I did.

I threw myself into his arms and felt him reluctantly hug me back. He was taller and much more muscular than the last time I had hugged him. It felt wonderful and wrong all at the same time. Not wrong that I was hugging him but he felt different to me. I felt him stroking my hair and I started to sob allowing myself to let all the stress melt away as the sun warmed my shoulders. He quietly shushed my tears away whilst we stood in the driveway for what seemed like an hour but was more likely just minutes. I could feel his heart beating wildly on my cheek and it was so warmly familiar and yet strange because of fact that Jacob was holding me, not as a young friendly teenager, but a strong man. He was practically a stranger to me now, but the second his arms closed around me I felt the security I had been missing all these years.

**Jacob**

I turned around and saw Bella and it surprised me and not because she had a huge bruise on her eye, it was the fact that she had looked so lost, so vulnerable, almost unsteady. Then she threw herself onto my body.

I didn't know what to do at that point. My heart started to pound with every emotion that I ever had in my life all at once. I wanted to shove her away, I wanted to hold her close, and yell at her, to soothe her, laugh, and cry with her. My instincts took over and I finally put my arms gently around her and started to smooth her damp hair down her back. She smelled of sweetness and light just like when we were younger and having her so close wrecked havoc on my heart. She started to cry and as I held her I looked up at Sam and Angela who had a look of concern on both their faces. I could imagine each for different reasons. After a few moments Bella started to pull back, most of her cover up smeared on my jacket. I looked down at her red puffy eyes and I wiped the tears off her cheeks. She offered a small smile.

**Bella**

I don't know what came over me, but to have him so close, felt like a tremendous relief. Years of absence crushed by a few moments comfort. After I cried and let it out, I felt a little lighter when I pulled away from his strong arms. I looked at him with an embarrassed smile after he gently wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"I'm sorry Jake." I said blushing at my total lack of self-control.

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "You okay now?" he asked. His voice was deep and husky now, so different from our younger days, highlighting how much time had passed since I had last seen him. I nodded my head while looking into his deep brown eyes; I noticed there was something missing from them. He broke the stare and patted my back, "Let's go in. We have some things to ask." He told me.

"Oh, yeah, of course." I said lamely.

I turned around and saw Angela and Sam standing on the porch, both looking concerned and maybe even a little surprised. I felt my face burn hot, as I was so horrendously out of control, hence my bruised eye, which I had forgotten about until this second.

_Oh no! _

I turned and looked at Jacobs jacket and there was a beige smudge where my head had rested.

_Great! Smudged up the fancy suit, way to go Bella_. I thought to myself as we walked into Angela's house to the living room. Humiliated was an understatement. I felt Jacobs hand lightly touching the small of my back leading me to the couch. When I sat down he took the chair on the opposite side of the room and Angela sat next to me eyeing me carefully to make sure I was okay. Sam was looking at Jacob and for a few awkward moments everyone was just silent looking around at one another.

"Well we are here on official business." Sam said trying to break the ice.

"Okay. What exactly do you need to know?" I questioned.

I already knew the jist of what they were going to be asking. They had asked the basic questions, if I knew anyone with a grudge against my father, anyone with a motive or something to get from his death. I had no clue. Then the questions started to hit closer to home.

"Does your father have a life insurance policy?" Jacob asked not looking up from his notepad.

I looked at him suspiciously. "I don't know. Why?"

"We have to rule out motives Bella. Don't take it personally." Sam said coming to Jacobs defense.

I just nodded my head and tried not to feel offended or hurt. The line of questioning was upsetting and a few times I felt tears spring to my eyes but overall I would say it was painless. Then they turned to Angela to question her.

I was thinking about how the rest of my day was going to pan out when Sam and Jacob got up to leave. I stood up with Angela to walk them out and noticed how Jacob made an effort to avoid being near me. He waved briefly in my direction and then bolted out to the car. I can't say I wasn't surprised. He stopped talking to me for a reason years ago; I just wish I had a clue as to what the reason was. I thought he would have been happy I found someone. If the roles were reversed and he had found a girlfriend I would have been very happy for him. It still hurt to think that after all this time he still felt like he couldn't let go of that. _I would have stayed his friend forever_. I thought sadly. I shook the thought from my mind and grabbed the phone book and looked up the number to MT Olympus Funeral Home. If I kept myself busy getting things done the pain wouldn't surface and I could go on. First take care of Charlie, and then worry about my personal life. I decided and grabbed my cell phone to make the call.

**Jacob**

I had to get out of there as quick as possible. So much for being a professional I thought to myself pathetically. I wasn't prepared for her reaction when she saw me. I couldn't imagine what was going through her head but I have to be careful not to get too close. I could hardly stop thinking about how beautiful she looked, and how the sweater she wore clung to her in all the right places, and the dark blue jeans showing off her more mature and womanly figure. How soft she was in my arms, how her scent was so alluring it couldn't be human. My body was responding to the memory and making me hate myself.

I had to change my line of thought so I was wondered where the wonderful Edward Cullen was. I wouldn't be surprised to find out he gave her that black eye. What other reason would she have for staying at Angela's if it weren't for domestic abuse? When I had asked Sam earlier why she was there and not at Cullen's house he said he wasn't sure, that as far as he knew they were still a happy couple.

Sam glanced at me a few times unsure of what to say then decided to go with the unexpected.

"She needs you bro." He stated simply. I threw him a menacing glare.

"She had her chance Sam." I answered sounding more bitter than necessary.

"That was years ago Jake, you need to let it go. You two were so close, so bonded, everyone around you jealous of the relationship you two had. You should make things right Jacob. Don't let the past consume you" he lectured.

"Since when did you get all philosophical?" Sarcasm rich in my response.

"Since when were you a quitter Jacob? You just walked away from the one person who brought out the heart in you. You haven't been the same since. Something inside you died. I'm pretty sure Bella's the only one who will bring it back to life."

"You sound like a chick." I retorted. Sam grew quiet just shaking his head in disapproval. I didn't need to hear it. I know my heart died. It died the day I realized she was never going to love me the way I loved her. I was trying so hard to make her see but Edward was the pretty rich boy, I couldn't compete with that. Not then at least I'd put his ass to shame now though. Maybe it would be fun to show her what she could have had. But that game is too dangerous for me and I don't think I could do that to someone as vulnerable as she seems to be now. I'd be in danger of giving her back my heart and I cannot afford to risk it breaking again.

After a few tense moments the conversation turned to something more comfortable for me. Work. We made a list of people to see and the last one was going to be a personal favorite. I would get to interview Edward Cullen. It was a shame that his would have to wait til tomorrow. Sam had called Cullen Distributions and found out that Edward had to meet a client in Port Angeles and wouldn't be back til tomorrow. What a dick, his fiancé is grieving the loss of her father and he's working. Then I smiled to myself._ I cannot wait to tear that asshole apart._


	5. Deceiver

**AN: Thanks for the reviews and alerts! It feels like a birthday present everytime I get an alert that someone has reviewed or fav'd or alerted my story. Also, thanks to TeamSwitzerland28 for making me look good. Much love to you! **

_You've been caught in a lie  
You can't deny it  
So let the war begin, you're far from innocent  
Hell, I just don't know where it will end  
You are the one to blame  
You made a habit of fucking up my life_

_Deceiver - Disturbed  
_

**Edward**

I was sitting in the small cafe waiting for my dad's client to show up. The afternoon sun was shining in through the window making everyone walking through the door hard to see, like shadows, their silhouettes the only image outstanding. The cafe was small inside, but cozy, the cashier quite a flirt. This was the last place I wanted to be, I wanted to be home with Bella. Holding her, comforting her, grieving with her. I took a sip of coffee, needing the caffeine to kick in immediately. I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I feel like a monster for what I did to Bella yesterday, my loving fiancé who took so much from me as it was with work commitments and I wasn't there when she needed me most. The guilt started to turn my stomach and a wave of nausea swept over me. I felt in between a rock and a hard place. If I tried to quit my fathers business we would undoubtedly lose an extraordinary amount of money. My father made it clear that he would cut all my contacts out and then we would be left trying to start from scratch. That thought scared me no end.

I was deep in thought as a red haired woman with electric green eyes, flashed a seductive smile at me and walked up. I met her with an equally seductive grin on my face, feigning interest in her I gave her an appreciative look.

"You must be Edward." She purred.

I smiled at her, my stomach turning. "Victoria, I was told you were gorgeous, but they were underestimating." I said in the sexiest voice I could muster without vomiting. She was attractive, legs that went on for days, but the fact I had to stoop to this level with so many of my fathers female clients made me sick. I pulled the seat across from me out for her to sit, she was a very touchy feely person, more than I was used to clients being. She smiled at me again, her breath smelling slightly of alcohol. I heard the bell of the door cling and of course couldn't see who it was between this bitch's wild hair and the sun blinding me. I was usually on edge when meeting a female client, always afraid of getting caught. It was miserable.

Her hands were wandering so often that I decided to keep them still on top of the table by holding them with mine. After discussing the entire product line, which she cared nothing about except for my mention of sexy lingerie which made her purr like a kitten, leaning forward and flashing me her own lingerie. She, of course, wanted to tour the distribution center which was going to take all day to do, then to draw up the contracts it was going to be a long day indeed. She was very flirtatious and went off topic often. I heard the bell on the door clang again and looked as the person who came in left.

I preferred dealing with male clients for this very reason. It also made me sick thinking of the lengths my father must have used his good looks to start this business. Nothing short of being a whore, I felt vile and disgusting but it was the choice I made. I knew one day I would have enough saved to quit and give Bella and me the life we deserved. But that was going to take a while. My father controlled the money I was to get paid. Always promising more but just giving enough to keep up with bills. He purchased our house and he held the deed, basically he wanted to have as much control over Bella and me as possible. I can't complain much, other than time, I have more than enough of everything. I can have any luxury, buy any car, I can give Bella and any future children we have whatever their hearts desire.

That's only if Bella decides to forgive me. I thought sadly the woman intertwining her arm with mine as we left the cafe and got into the town car. I told the driver to take us to the distribution center. He pulled away and the woman leaned into me giving me another ample views of her breasts.

"So tell me Edward, where can a girl find a little fun in this podunk town?" She asked looking up at me through her eyelashes. I eyed her carefully.

"What kind of fun are you looking for?" I asked arching my eyebrow giving her a crooked smile.

"The kind where it ends with both of us naked and satisfied." She whispered into my ear the air tickling sending a jolt straight to my dick.

I was slightly caught off guard. My fathers clients were rarely this forward. Bella's face flashed through my mind briefly. I swallowed a knot that quickly formed in my throat. I looked at Victoria appreciatively.

"Well, that can be arranged, but first, we do business." I said hating myself.

"Well let's not waste _any_ time." She said as she slid her hand up my thigh. I wanted to throw the bitch out of the car but instead I caught her hand and held it in mine smiling at her patiently.

We pulled in front of the distribution center. I prattled on about things she could care less about. Between her grabbing my ass and trying to kiss me I had had my fill. I took her up to the office and put the contracts down talking business when she pushed the papers down onto the floor and hiked her skirt up around her waist trying to sit on the desk in front of me. I sighed impatiently.

"Victoria, I told you, first business, then pleasure. Trust me, it _will_ be worth the wait." I promised. Laughing inside as I watched her pout, Bella's face prominent in my mind.

She sat down and held out her hand. "Fine, lets get it done then."

I handed her a pen and watched her sign what was a 30 million dollar order and I felt a triumphant smile scroll across my face. She handed me back the pen and looked at me with desire. I took her hand and she gave me a confused look.

"I think we should go somewhere more... comfortable." I said and breathed into her ear. She shivered and I saw goosebumps crawl against her pale white skin. She smiled as I walked her to the town car. I opened the door for her to get inside, as she sat down I slammed the door closed and told the driver to take her back to her hotel. She looked a little lost.

She rolled down the window. "Are you meeting me there?"

"Yeah, sure, hold your breath you disgusting whore." I snapped and flipped her off.

I heard a slew of curse words vibrating from the car as the driver drove her away. I know my dad might have jumped on her but I had no intentions of bedding any woman he sent my way. Not anymore. The guilt was too much to bear.

I knew I would be getting a stern tongue lashing from my father later on about this but I didn't care. I was sick of being whored out by him, it's either strictly business or nothing at all. I pulled out my cell phone and called a car to pick me up and decided to go home. I'd be home around 11:00pm but at least I could sleep in my own bed. Even if empty, it would have been better than going back to some sluts hotel room and feeling like the scum my dad was training me to become. I settled down on the bench on the outside of the building and waited for the car to take me home.

**Jacob**

It was a long day, we questioned just about everyone at the station that spent time with him after work, which consisted of about 3 guys that went fishing with him occasionally. We found nothing there. We questioned some of the people who worked at the diner and they said they had no idea why anyone would want to lay a finger on him. It seemed as though it must have been cold blood as no one had motive. When Mayland and Braddock arrived all they got was from a gas station that said Charlie was on his way over to the Newton's sport shop to pick up a heavy weight fishing line that man loved to fish.

It was almost 3pm and Sam had to go out on a domestic dispute call and I decided to take Charlie's personal computer and run it up to the Port Angeles PD thinking maybe their techs could give it a looking at since Seattle was backed up. I sat down at Braddock's desk and looked for the form to fill to for an investigative evidence transfer, once I found it I filled it out and took it to deputy Stoley and he handed me a slip for the transfer. I looked it over and the grabbed the tower and stopped off in the break room to grab a cup of coffee. I walked out to my car and set the tower on the floor of the back seat and got inside the front and set my coffee cup in the holder.

I was about 15 minutes outside of Port Angeles when my cell phone rang and I reached to grab it from the console simultaneously knocking the coffee over onto the passenger seat floorboard.

"Shit!" I hissed.

I looked at the caller ID and saw a number I did not recognize. I pulled into the parking lot of a cafe to answer the call.

"Jacob Black." I answered. _This better be good, I wasted a perfectly good cup of coffee for you. _I thought bitterly.

"Jake?" I heard a sweet soft voice answer on the other end. My pulse jumped a few notches.

"Yeah. Hey Bella." My voice choked on her name.

"Hi, um, I know your probably busy with, you know... everything, but I was wondering if you could possibly stop by Angela's tonight? I think we should talk." Bella asked her voice slightly nervous. I could imagine her biting her lower lip and it made my heart ache.

My mind started to race with excuses to give her. _No. Definitely not Jacob. Don't go there. Do your job then go home._

"Talk about what?" I asked instead, ignoring the voice in my head.

There was a pause on the other end. "Things. Like what happened to make you - hate me - so much." she said softly her voice cracking. I shook my head.

"I don't... hate you." I replied softly. My heart burned just having to think about how much hate I did not have for her. Hating her would make my life so much easier, so much more bearable.

She was quiet for a minute. "Well then, I think we need to talk about what happened. Jake, you were my best friend. That means something to me. I need to know what I did to lose my best friend. Please." Her voice sounding so vulnerable I didn't know how to say no. I took a deep breath and pinched the space between my eyes and closed them tight. I hate my lack of will power where she is concerned.

"I'm in Port Angeles. When I am done here, if its not too late, I'll swing by." I said hating myself for allowing this female to hold so much power over me.

"Good. Thank you Jacob." She replied, sounding relieved.

"Sure, sure." I said and hung up. I sat there feeling my heart losing control of itself. I couldn't even think about talking to her without it destroying me inside.

I decided to go grab a new cup of coffee and some towels from the cafe to clean up the cup I spilled on the floor. I got out of my car and walked inside run down building. _This place couldn't be up to code._ I thought to myself. It was smaller than I had expected it to be inside, I walked up to the counter where a young girl with black hair and an asymmetrical hair cut sat staring at a couple sitting at the table to the far left. Besides that couple and one guy sitting in the corner with what looked like a drivers uniform on, the place was empty. I couldn't see the males face as a woman with some wild red hair was sitting in front of him.

I stood for a minute looking at the menu trying to figure out how a coffee might taste like strawberry cheesecake when I hear a distinct voice speaking from the table that the cashier girl was staring at. The woman with red hair laughed a sex kitten laugh and the man mentioned purchasing some very sexy lingerie. The red head moved her head just enough to confirm what I had thought.

Edward Cullen.

My pulse kicked up a few notches. It looked as though he saw me but squinted away as I figured the sun must have blinded him. I saw him reach across the table and hold the woman's hands. The cashier looked at me and gave me a flirtatious smile. "Today is my lucky day." She laughed. I looked at her with must have seemed like a confused expression because my impulses were to walk over and kick the living shit out of the asshole sitting at the table that she had been so admiring.

"Two hot guys in one day..." She said and arched her eyebrow. I did my best to smile at her not wanting to give away anything. I offered a tense smile and ordered a large coffee. She smiled and walked to fill my order. "Its not every day I get so much eye candy. This place is mostly filled with the elderly or, you know, the outdoors-man and they are kind rough lookin'." I tried my best to control the rage filling inside of me and humor the girl. I didn't want to make a scene, and really, honestly, this was a complication I did not want or need. I thanked the girl when she handed me the cup handed her a twenty and told her no change which earned me a receipt with her name and number on it. I grabbed a huge stack of napkins then I walked out of the cafe not knowing what to do.

I opened the passenger side door and cleaned up the spilled coffee as quick as a could and walked back to the front of the cafe to throw the napkins away and saw Edward and the red head getting close enough to make out. I felt nausea fill my stomach. I walked back to the car and got into the drivers seat. I threw my head back against the headrest, now how could I ever face Bella? There's not a chance in hell I would ever be the messenger of that bad news. What the fuck was Edward doing? Work... Right... Asshole! His fiancé was at home with a bruise that undoubtedly came from him, and grieving her father's death. Charlie died yesterday and this scum bag is sitting in a cafe having a rendezvous with a red head? Charlie...Charlie... His soon to be father in law. Her damn tears were still ingrained on my jacket not to mention the make up smeared across it and he is in there living it up? There were no words to express the hatred I felt for him.

I was taking deep breaths trying not to go in there and blast him full of bullets from my side arm. My blood pounding like lava in my veins, my hands balled into fists. I put them on my face trying to calm down then I punched the steering wheel over and over wishing it were his face. My hands were shaking and my knuckles were cut from the force of the contact. The steering column coming loose, I started the car and peeled out of the driveway going toward the Port Angeles PD. Grinding my teeth so hard my jaw hurt.

When I arrived at the police station I had a little more fury to my fire as I couldn't stop thinking about how fucked up my life had become in just two days. I hated Forks. I hated being put in a position like this. My cell rang and I recognized my dad's number.

"Yeah." I said flatly.

"Hello Jacob." My dad said, unaffected by my rude greeting.

"Dad, I'm busy, I'm right in the middle of something." I said trying really hard to be calm.

"Son, this will only be a second. This dog here... I don't know what to do with him. He keeps barking at me." My dad complained, irritated. I heard a "yap yap." in the background.

"Dad, he's just a dog. Feed him something and take him outside. Simple. I got to go." I advised then hung up. I am usually the opposite of rude but for fucks sake how much can I take?

I took the computer out of the backseat and walked it into the building. A woman sitting behind a desk greeted me. "May I help you?" She asked politely.

"I'm Detective Black. I'm here to drop off a computer for analysis." I replied.

She called someone on the phone and relayed the message then she told me someone would be out to pick it up in a minute. I took a seat on one of the six uncomfortable chairs that were lined up against the wall. I sat patiently for an irritatingly long time when a small framed man with jet black hair came out introducing himself as Aro Volturi. I pondered the strange name for just a moment and then shook his hand. I handed him the transfer slip and gave him a detailed account of any files we needed him to retrieve. He seemed to understand what I was asking for which was a relief because I was not in the mood to teach anyone anything, except maybe Edward Cullen a lesson in decency... courtesy of my fist. I thanked him and gave him the number for him to reach me if he found anything.

I walked back out to my car and sat there for a few minutes. I had to decide what to do. Do I go to Bella and tell her about her worthless excuse for a fiancé? Do I just go there to talk to her? Do I cancel the whole thing and blame it on time? I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. After a few agonizing moments weighing out all the pros and cons of each scenario, I had made my decision. I keyed up the engine and started back towards Forks.


	6. Remember

**AN: LOVE to all those who read and enjoy this story. You make me smile. As a thank you gift to those who review, I'll send a preview of the next chapter. Much love for all the alerts and reviews and to my wonderful beta(s)! You make me look good. :o) This chapter is a lot of reflection on Bellas side but some important information is in here. **

_When you're gone the pieces of my heart are missing you _

_When you're gone the face I came to know is missing too_

_When you're gone the words I need to hear to always get me through the day _

_and make it okay I miss you _

_When You're Gone – Avril Lavigne_

**Bella**

I had called my mother Renee. She was sad to hear the news, but she was out of the country and wouldn't make the funeral. Typical. She remarried a rich real estate investor when I was in eighth grade and they frequently traveled to Italy and Spain where he owned some exclusive hotels. I got tired of hopping around so I moved to Forks a year later. I never looked back. It did put a strain on my relationship with my mother but its gotten slightly better over the past year. I wished she could be here right now and she promised to be out here as soon as she could. I pushed the thought away and went back to work getting through things.

I made an appointment with the funeral director, and received about 20 condolence calls. I decided to go to the house and grab a few more things since it was obvious this thing happening between Edward and I had little to no impact on him. He is working today. Left me a voicemail saying he'd call me tomorrow. It's sad that even a death in the family couldn't tear him away from his daddy's business. I got into my car and took off towards our house; it no longer felt like our home.

My mind was full of thoughts on the way there, like how his father hasn't even called me yet. I just don't know where we took a wrong turn. At first, everyone was happy, well with the exception of Jacob that is. In the beginning it was as though Edward and I were the perfect couple. We were madly in love and happily planning our lives together. This involved him getting his business degree and me gaining a degree in culinary arts and then we would open a restaurant together. We were so excited talking about it in the beginning and then his father promised to help us out when we graduated. He said Edward could work for him for a while until we had enough money to buy the restaurant. It was fine at first. Edward worked 9 to 5 as a manager overseeing the distribution centers, and then about a year later his dad promoted him to account executive and from there everything has been downhill.

His father started being cold towards me. Not unfriendly but I could tell there was a strain on our relationship. Edward's sister Alice helped me with the catering business; she was an event planner and had a need for a catering business for her company since they were so few and far between in our area. I thought it sounded great and loved having her to work with. After we opened the restaurant I was to hand the catering service over to Alice and things were going to work out so smoothly. I don't know why Edward is so afraid of leaving his fathers business, it's obvious it makes him miserable and it's killing us.

I pulled into the driveway of the house. I got out of my car and walked into the front door and could smell the scent of Edward's cologne in the air. Aqua Di Gio. I remember how it used to drive me wild but lately just annoyed me. I needed to get away for a while, to clear my head, somewhere I could just relax. The day was so nice I decided to go to the beach and just sit. I didn't have to meet the funeral director til 3 and that gave me about an hour and a half of sun time. I walked into my bedroom striped off the sweater and jeans and slipped on a pair of black shorts and a white tank top. I found my favorite pair of flip-flops that I can never wear because the ground is always too saturated and felt them slip nicely on my feet. They were undoubtedly my favorite pair of shoes. I lamented the fact I couldn't wear them more often. I grabbed another duffel bag and filled it with some more of my belongings and then left.

On my way to La Push beach Alice called me, the last time I spoke to her was after the news from Tyler. She was pretty upset. She and my dad were close, she is without a doubt the best "sister" a girl could have. Of all the changing that has happened to my relationships over the past year Alice and Angela have been my two constants. Always there for me and never wavering in loyalty. True friends. _Unlike some other people I know_. I thought bitterly as Jacobs face flashed through my mind. I told Alice of my plans for the day; she said was still in Seattle and was coming home tonight. I was so glad to hear that, I needed her support now more than ever and knew that she would have the perfect advice to give me.

I hung up the phone and grabbed a towel from my duffel bag, and walked out to the beach. I sat where the water could barely touch my toes. The sound of the ocean waves crashing on the shore calmed my mind and I started to relax enjoying the warmth of the sun. Now and again a thought of my father would cross my mind and cause tears to form. I made a silent vow to my father. _We will find who did this dad, and why._ I promised.

My mind started to drift to thoughts of Jacob. How much he changed, how wonderful he looked in all honesty. I smiled when I remembered how he was not much taller than me the last time we hung out. He was always muscular but sort of awkward as a teenager, he certainly has filled out well. I thought about his arms and how comforting they were even though it seemed uncomfortable to him. I felt safe and didn't want to leave them, just like when we were teenagers. I wondered why he disliked me so much. We were so close before, I remember coming to this very spot and just laying next to him my head resting on his chest and listening to his heart beat. He'd always have a funny story about something Paul or Embry did. I'd tell him of the drama going on between Tyler and Lauren or Mike and Lauren or Jessica and Lauren.

Lauren had always been a drama queen. Still is. Last time I saw her she was fighting with her now husband, Mike Newton. Mad that he didn't become a professional football player, he went to college for it and had a bad accident on the field. He had some potential, everyone thought he would succeed and felt bad for him when he never did. Now he is just running the family business doomed to a life of small town gossip and sports gear. I shook my head; life throws up challenges for everyone.

My mind went back to Jacob. The fishing trips only made bearable because he was there with me making jokes. I remembered late night TV movies and how we would make fun of the over acting of people. How we confessed our true feelings about things to each other and no one else. He was a year younger than me but felt my equal in every way. I remember having a crush on him for a while too. Just before Edward came and stole my heart. I actually felt like Jacob was the one for a while, I was so close to admitting it to him once.

It was late at night and one of the rare nights when we could see the stars and he was pointing to the sky telling me of Quileute legends while looking for shooting stars. I had adored his voice, his warmth; he was my Sun when there was rain. I was trying to find the right moment to tell him how I felt. I remember him looking at me with his warm brown eyes, and friendly smile. He put his arm around me and our faces were so close, I could feel his breath on my cheek. I was staring at his full lips wondering how soft they might feel touching mine. I turned my face towards his and we nearly kissed but Embry and Quil came up and ruined the moment. I was so shaken by me nearly kissing him that I jumped up and sat across from Jacob while he gave me a flirtatious smile. He'd always been flirtatious, not just with me, but other girls as well. I sometimes wondered why he never asked any of them out. I had hoped briefly that it was because he had wanted me. It was a silly hope because it was obvious he only wanted friendship.

That was the week Edward moved into town. Jacob had a ceremony to attend out of state, and I wouldn't be seeing him for a while. Edward was no shy boy, he made it clear that he liked me right away. Every girl in school was so love struck by him. I was obviously no exception there, how could I be? He looked like someone off a male modeling ad. I was embarrassed by his forwardness but really flattered. Girls in school started to shun me a little, obviously jealous of the attention he showed me.

We had been paired in biology and he came to my house every afternoon to "study". Neither of us needed to study. He would come over to try and get me to kiss him; our first kiss had no romance in it at all. He made fun of me, saying that I didn't want to kiss him because I didn't now how. I was embarrassed to admit that I hadn't so I grabbed him and planted a big kiss on his lips and he laughed and held me to him and said. "Now, let me show you what a real kiss feels like." Then he softly kissed my mouth and slowly worked his tongue inside. It was gradual and slow and not what I was expecting at all, but I thought it was nice. I was excited to have gotten that out of the way and when Jacob came back from his trip we had hung out at the diner and I revealed all the things that had happened during the few weeks he was gone.

He looked surprised, but told me he was happy for me. But a few months later, I was hanging out with Edward daily, and only saw Jacob a few times a month. He seemed less and less friendly toward me. One day we had a fight and then after that. Nothing. Jacob walked away and never said another word to me, up until earlier today. His father Billy and I were still good friends, he'd come by to visit my dad, watch a game on TV, and fill me in on what Jacob was up to. I was always hurt by his decision to abandon our friendship. I couldn't understand why we couldn't be friends; I know he was just as bonded to me as I was to him. How could he just walk away? What did I do other than do the inevitable. I found a boyfriend. He could have very easily found a girlfriend; I know for a fact there were a few girls at Forks High willing. I want answers. I want to know why. I got up and walked to my car and pulled out my cell phone.

I first had to call Billy to get Jacobs number, it was hard to understand what he was saying at first because there was a loud yapping in the background. Finally the yapping sound became muffled and he gave me the number. Grumbling something about a good for nothing animal. I didn't recall him saying he got a dog and wondered if it belonged to Sue or Leah as they had a couple of dogs. I thanked him and hung up. I stared at Jake's number for a few moments trying to summon the courage to make the call.

It went smoother than I expected. I didn't figure he would actually come visit tonight. I thought it would take more than one phone call. A glimmer of optimism lit in my body, maybe there was hope for our friendship after all. It was the first time in the past two days I had felt hopeful. I looked at the time and knew I had to hurry back to Forks to meet with the funeral director.

I drove straight there, knowing I was short on time. When I walked into the Mt. Olympus Funeral Home I saw a short elderly woman wearing a dark blue pantsuit standing in the doorway of an office located off the open entry way. She smiled at me kindly and walked to me with her hand out to shake. I held out my hand and she held it gently glancing at the bruise on my eyebrow.

"Door." I explained. She shook her head to say no explanation needed.

"My name is Patricia." She said in a sweet voice.

"Bella Swan." I replied with a half smile.

"I am so sorry to be meeting you for the first time under these circumstances dear." She said almost apologetically.

"Me too." I agreed.

She took me into her office where we discussed the arrangements for Charlie's funeral. I know that he wanted to be buried in Forks Cemetery underneath the big weeping willow, I remembered him saying something about it once in my childhood. We spoke about the cost, which is an uncomfortable sort of conversation to have. Paying for someone's death almost doesn't seem right. I was pretty sure the government covered the expenses. The burial was scheduled for two days from today. I chose a mahogany wood casket with a creamy satin lined bed. It was adorned with silver support handles. I cried a little after choosing this. It's a surreal experience picking out the final place your parent's body will lay, the infinite goodbye. We went through the rest of the process smoothly, she was very kind and helpful throughout the entire thing.

I left feeling a little more settled then I had prior to arriving. I guess there is a sense of closure in going through that process. As painful as it was, I was glad to do it alone. Angela offered to meet me there but I declined. I asked her to stay and take care of the press release for the obituary and to handle the calls. The last thing I wanted is to talk to a bunch of people about what happened, I needed to stay focused.

When I arrived at Angela's house I pulled out my duffel bag and went inside to find Angela napping on the couch with the portable phone lying on her stomach. _Poor thing._ I thought to myself. She must have been so busy with all the phone calls. When I walked into the bedroom to put my stuff away I saw a note on the pillow saying that a Mr. Ford had called. He was an attorney that was handling my father's affairs. I put his number in my phone and saved it, I was sure I'd need it frequently. I called the number and he let me know that the police had been in contact with them and that he needed to set an appointment with me to go over my dad's estate. I made the appointment for him to come to Angela's house tomorrow at noon. Then I laid down on the bed and fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of people talking in the living room. I stayed lying down for a minute then I recognized the voices. Angela and Jacob. My heart skipped a beat. I jumped up and looked at the clock it was 8:30pm, I must have been sleeping for a couple of hours. I felt really nervous and didn't know what to do so I went to the mirror and saw my hair wild from the humidity and salt of the beach mixed with sleep. I groaned. I picked up the brush and ran it through my hair quickly, grabbed a hair band to pull my hair back. I started to grab the cover up but thought better of it. It didn't work this morning, why try now. I glanced at my outfit. I thought about changing into a t-shirt but then decided not to. It was Jacob he didn't care. _Stop fussing, its not like you're dating the guy._ I scolded myself. I turned towards the door and went to greet my guest.

**Hint: Chp 7... Things get hot...**


	7. Realization

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews/alerts/faves guys! Your awesome!Thank you TeamSwitzerland28 for your awesome beta-ing. Your the best! To save the best for last I want to say thanks to ****notashamedtobesoilyfan** **for pimping my little story when hers is beyond amazing. If you haven't been doing so, I would totally recommend reading New Phase Of The Moon by her. If you like this story you'll love hers! Without further ado... **

_If you only knew  
How many times I counted  
All the words that went wrong  
If you only knew  
How I refuse to let you go,  
Even when you're gone  
I don't regret any days I  
Spent, nights we shared,  
Or letters that I sent_

_If You Only Knew - Shinedown_

**Bella**

I walked out into the living room and was caught off guard. Jacob was standing behind the couch wearing dark blue jeans and a snug fitting long sleeved white button down, the top 4 buttons undone showing some of the defined muscles of his chest. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows showing very well developed forearms. His biceps barely hiding in the tightness of the sleeves. My heart thumped a little harder in my chest seeing him. His sex appeal was unmistakable. I quickly wondered if there was someone else in his life. He was smiling at Angela as she handed him a beer and then glanced my way. I suddenly felt like showering and dressing more appropriate which was stupid because why should I care?

"Hey." He said giving me a tight smile.

"Hey." I answered back. I felt awkward standing in the hallway so I walked into the living room and Angela asked if I wanted anything from the kitchen.

"I'll take a glass of Moscato." I told her. I needed something to relax me, my nerves were on edge. Jacob was looking tense and uncomfortable.

"You drink now?" He said looking at the bruise on my eyebrow.

"Not often." I replied, wondering what he was insinuating.

"You never touched the stuff before." he said plainly.

"I was barely eighteen then Jake. People grow up." I retorted. A shadow crossed his face and I instantly regretted it. He was here so we could make peace not so I could remind him of how much we had both changed.

"Yeah, I guess so." He replied.

Angela walked in handing me the glass of wine and I noticed that she was dressed to kill. A little black dress and ballet flats, gold studs in her ears. She looked really pretty. Her long brown hair was blown dry and straight. I cocked my head at her. "Going somewhere?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah," she hesitantly answered.

I arched an eyebrow at her. "Care to elaborate?" I asked.

She blushed and said "Tyler's taking me out. Don't say anything to anyone."

I smiled surprised. _Wow. Go Ty._ I thought.

"Lucky guy." Jacob said flirtatiously.

I felt a pang. I must be emotionally drained. It almost felt like jealousy and that would be wrong considering I had Edward.

"Yes, I agree, very lucky guy." I said recovering from the weird emotional glitch.

Angelas face was guilt riddled and I looked at her curiously. "I know it seems a little inappropriate with everything that's going on though, I almost canceled. But when you said Jacob was coming over, I sorta figured maybe you would want some time to talk alone." She confessed giving me a nervous look.

"Angela, no worries. Honey, with all the help you gave me today you deserve to enjoy your evening." I said to her as I gave her a hug.

"Thanks, but if you need anything call me. I'll come right back." She told me.

She gave us a shy smile and waved as she walked out.

"Wow, she is _all_ grown up." Jacob said in an admiring tone staring towards the door she walked out of. Then flashed me a brilliant white smile that made my legs tremble.

I felt that feeling again. How could I be jealous of Angela? She's my best friend, and she is beautiful. She always has been. Why be jealous now? I shook my head and then I met Jacob's eyes and I realized that _he_ was why. I may still have Edward to deal with in some sense but I missed having Jacob in my life and felt that I emotionally had tabs on him, I didn't want anyone else getting in the way. He nodded to the couch. We both took long sips from our drinks when we sat down. He on one end of the couch, me on the other.

"How's your dad?" I asked, trying to start polite conversation. He just smiled like there was some kind of inside joke I wasn't in on. "He's doing well, he's upset obviously..." he ended the sentence on a somber note but had an amused grin on his face. It drove me crazy, he never use to hold back with me so much. I realized with regret that I didn't know this Jacob and I was starting to feel flustered. I could see he was still the same guy underneath all these barriers. I wanted to break through to him, to make him like me again, to make him see how much his friendship meant to me and how I missed having him in my life.

"So you asked me to come here." He said, breaking the silence.

I took another long sip of the wine and then sat my glass down on the coffee table. "Well, Jacob it's been five years." I paused and looked at him. He wasn't looking at me but I could see the tension in his face. "I want to know why you just stopped talking to me." He leaned forward a little and looked at me incredulously. "Is it really that difficult to understand Bella?" He asked in a bitter tone that confused me. He gulped down the rest of his beer and sat it on the table.

"Yes, actually. Jake, one day we were inseparable and the next thing I know we get into a fight and just like that you walk away and never speak to me again." I said accusingly.

"You are so blind sometimes. Look, Bella, sometimes people just... move on." He said, and then whispered, "I couldn't wait forever."

I sat there and stared at him. The wine doing nothing for my rational thought process. I was lacking in that department as it was, maybe the drink was a bad idea. I didn't know whether to let him know I'd heard or not, I decided to go for the first option.

"Wait forever for what?" I asked hesitantly.

"Nothing." He answered. "I don't see why you're so worried about me. You have your precious Edward, besides giving you a black eye, I'm sure he's been just wonderful to you." Jacob retorted.

I was thrown off-guard by the venom in his voice. The same way it had been when we were friends and Edward and I started dating. Could it be that Jacob was still jealous of the relationship I had with Edward? And how dare he assume that I would stay in a relationship where I was being abused, he should know I wouldn't stand for that and that Edward wouldn't do that to me in the first place.

"What? He didn't give me the black eye Jake..." I started, but he interrupted.

"Oh what? It was an accident? Or even better, a door hit you? Right? That's battered women 101 Bella!" He snarled.

I looked at him, wounded. I wondered who told him about the event that took place last night. Angela? No. That isn't her style. It was something I'd have to think about later.

"I know what you think, but it _was_ an accident. I'm here at Angela's trying to figure out if Edward and I have a future. No other reason. He hasn't given me a reason to leave him other than the fact that he is so busy with work its like I don't exist to him anymore. We got into a fight because he wasn't – still isn't – there for me when I got the news about my dad. He never has time for me. Even though he hasn't been abusive, he hasn't been treating me very well lately. I need to figure out what I want to do. That's it." My voice cracked at the end of the sentence and tears filled my eyes. I was trying to keep calm and not be upset but the wine intensified every emotion I was feeling.

"Are you going back to him Bella?" He had a softer expression now the tone of his voice was gentle.

"I don't know." I said softly while wiping my tears away. I looked at Jacob with blurry eyes but could see he was struggling with something. "What is it Jake?" I urged.

"I feel like there's something you should know. I'm just not sure right now is the time to tell you." He admitted.

"What should I know Jake?" I demanded.

"Bella, I'll tell you... Just not tonight. You have enough to deal with." He explained. He slid over closer to me on the couch and put his hand gently on my cheek. I wanted to curl up next to him the way I use to.

"Does it have to do with my fathers case?" I panicked, scared to find out more bad news the thought causing me to break down.

A look of concern came over his face and his whole demeanor changed. "No, nothing like that." He consoled me then pulled me to his chest. He held me there and leaned back against the couch. I inhaled his familiar scent that hadn't changed from our teenage years, I tried for ages to find what smell it was but finally settled with it being Jacob's own, one that couldn't be bought. The cologne he was wearing tonight enhanced it nicely.

"Then tell me Jacob. I can handle it." I pleaded, snuggling into the warmth of his arms and feeling the most secure I had ever felt in my entire life.

"Trust me Bella, tonight is not the night." He murmured. He was softly running his hands over my legs sending chills around my body. I saw a few scrapes on his knuckles and wondered what put them there. "Do they hurt?" I asked looking at the puffy red cuts. I felt him tense up and pull slightly away which I didn't like so I took my arms and wrapped them around his neck to snuggle closer. He smelled so good it made my body ache.

"No, I was trying to fix something on my car earlier." he said then relaxed back int the position we were in previously. I just nodded my head and quietly laughed to myself. He was always tinkering with things when we were younger. He actually rebuilt an entire car just so he would have one to drive when he turned 16. I smiled at the memory. I reached over to my glass of wine and finished it.

"I miss us Jacob. I have missed you for years. I couldn't have ever walked away from our friendship the way you did. It makes me feel like you didn't care at all." I muttered I was speaking so softly I wasn't sure he could hear me.

"I miss us too Bells. I've always cared for you. I cared... too much. It wasn't easy but... you had someone else in your life. I was going to let you have the life you wanted without interfering. It hurt me too." he said the last part in a harsher tone than the rest which made me realize that he still cared. Jacob kept running his hand up and down my legs the sensation tingling every nerve, the wine making everything around me a bit fuzzy and more relaxed.

"I know you only came here to help with the case but I am glad it was you they called. I'm glad we have a chance to fix things. My dad thought of you as the son he never had. Your pictures still hang on the wall in the hallway next to mine." I whispered my heart ached every time I thought of my father. I heard Jacob take a deep breath. He was quiet for a long moment before responding.

"I'm here to work on your dads case, I didn't come where with intentions of... doing anything else." he paused for a second "But I will tell you this, whoever did this will be found. I'll never give up. As for us, I don't know what can be fixed Bella. I'm confused. I don't know where your head is and I damn sure don't know what the hell I'm doing but we'll figure it out." He lifted my chin to look deep into my eyes and I smiled a small smile at him. I forced my head and eyes drift back down to my hands which were resting in my lap. My heart started to pound hard and I felt a rush go through my body and I waited for a moment to let the feeling subside. We were silent for a few minutes me curled up next to him with his arms around me. It was like being wrapped up in your favorite blanket but... sexier.

My heart felt steady for the first time in the last two days and for the first time in long time I felt safe and cared for. The warmth of his body was surrounding me. I looked up at him and our faces were just inches apart. I stared at his full lips wondering what would have happened all those years ago if I had kissed him, how different things might be for me today. I felt the overwhelming urge to kiss him now. He stared at my lips and lifted his hand to cup my face gently removing stray remaining tears from my cheeks then lightly ran his thumb across my bottom lip. I tilted my head back and our eyes met. For a long moment he stared into my eyes, which filled me with a rush of warmth that I have rarely felt, he started to inch closer. Suddenly his phone rang, spoiling the moment, he jumped up and took it out of his pocket. He pinched the area between his eyes and squeezed his eyes shut. Then held his finger up motioning to me that he'd be a minute. He walked into the kitchen and I could vaguely make out what he was saying. He was talking to a girl, I thought, as he called her babe and he was sounding so playful and sweet. It made my heart sink because it wasn't me he was talking to like that and that he did have someone else, waiting in Seattle for him.

I sat on the couch realizing that my feelings for Jake had run much deeper than I had ever really known. Sitting forward, I rested my elbows on my knees and held my head in my hands. The wine catching me off guard and making me feel dizzy. Maybe it was a bad idea to have him come over, I sat thinking about what a mess my life had become. I started shaking; not knowing what to do about the whole situation; it had made my nerves on edge. Jake walked out of the kitchen looking like the perfect picture of sex. My hormones were mixing with the wine making me want to take him right there. He gave me a funny look, I stood up and walked to the front door and opened it. "I'm so glad you came over. Thank you so much but I think its time for me to get some sleep... or something." I said feeling hot, bothered, scared, broken, and tipsy. I needed him out before I did anything that I might regret, my head was all over the place at the moment, how could I truly know what I want?

A hurt look came across his face, and then, a devilish smile replaced it. He walked over to the door and pushed it closed. "No. We aren't done Bella." He whispered into my ear his voice husky, deep, and longing. It sent chills down to the center of me. I rested my back against the door and he held his hands on both sides of my head, trapping me. "I have something I need to get off my chest before you kick me out." He claimed, his face just inches from mine, his breath tickling my mouth. I started to shake with wanting him, and out of fear of losing control.

"The night before Edward came into town, you and I were right... about... here." He said as put his gorgeous face even closer to mine. His lips were just a whisper away. "I think we owe it to ourselves to see what we were about to get ourselves into. But I wont move from here, the rest is up to you."

My mind was buzzing, unable to concentrate from having him so close. His scent wrapping around me like a veil. It was causing my senses to go on overload; all my will power was being tested. I stared at his inviting mouth and considered my options for a few moments. I placed my hands on his chest to push him away. He was a wall of muscles and my hands wanted to wander but I kept them in place. I slowly pushed him and rested my forehead on his chest against the back of my hands breaking the trance he had put me under. I could feel his heart pounding against my palms.

"I want to Jake." I gasped, "I really do. I want to so much, but I feel I owe it to both of us to make sure it happens at the right time." My breath was heavy. I felt faint. I haven't felt this much passion since...

I tried to think back and nothing came to me. I guess I'd never felt this kind of passion before, not even with Edward. I looked up at him, lustfully, and he closed his eyes and nodded his head. I moved out of the way and I heard him grab the door handle.

"I'll be back Bella. We are not finished yet. Not by a long shot." He promised and walked out the door. I groaned and cursed at myself. Of all the times for me to _not_ lose control! I walked into my bedroom pulled out some pajamas and went to take a long, cold shower.


	8. Enemy

**AN: Thank you to all my readers! To all those who review/alert/fave... You are my sunshine! To my fantastic betas TheUnderStudy/Teamswitzerland28, you are so awesome, but of course you already know that! :o) I will be going on vacation starting tomorrow, I'm not sure what my internet situation will be so I am posting this chapter early. I may start posting on Mondays from now on. Ok enough babbling...**

_You, you're another shit talkin' punk to me  
You're a living inspiration for what I never wanna be  
And I see you've been blinded by what you believe  
And now back up and sit down, shut up and act like you need to be _

_The Enemy - Godsmack_

**Jacob**

It's 4am and I can't sleep. I've been tossing and turning all night. Thoughts of being so close to her driving me crazy. Her body snuggled so close to me brought me to the breaking point. Her scent still on my skin and engraved in my mind. The more I try to keep my heart under wraps the stronger my feelings for her become. I caved last night. I gave in to my one true weakness. Bella. The one person in this world who could break me. The thought terrified me. I don't know what I am going to do. She said herself she doesn't know what she's going to do about Edward. If she goes back to that repulsive waste of human flesh...I shuddered...I would be crushed and I don't know if I could handle that. The first time was hard enough. Spending years thinking that someone is your soul mate and then in the matter of a few weeks they completely forget you were there. That hurts. Obviously her love for me was nothing if she could be so easily sidetracked by another. I groaned in frustration. The only thing I could do is tell her the truth, but she's so fragile right now. How do you tell a person who is dealing with the loss of their parent that the person they have wasted the last five years loving is sleeping with someone else? It's unfathomable. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to rat on that son of a bitch. She deserves so much more. My pulse was racing. I need to figure out what to do.

I felt badly for nearly kissing her. I don't know what had come over me. It was just that she was finally looking at me the way she had that night, so many years ago. I have dreamed of that night so often, how close we were to being something more. I never thought that the day would come when I would see her look at me that way again. The woman who had controlled every beat of my heart for the last 8 years wanted me. It may have just been the wine, but the euphoria of the moment was too much. Then my stupid phone went off. It was only Leah checking in on me and in hindsight I wish I would have ignored the call. Then when she asked me to leave, at first it hurt, but I recognized the look in her eyes. I knew I had to take a chance. The best part was that she didn't reject me. The timing for all of this to happen is so wrong, and then there is Edward. I felt my heart fall into my stomach. If she chose him… Well there's just no way I could let her go back to him, even if I wasn't the one she wanted. The pain of that reality was giving me the need to stay away from her.

Then what Sam told me in the car yesterday struck me. "Since when were you such a quitter?" I sat up in my bed. Did I give up on her? I have to admit that I could have done more back then. I never told her I loved her. I never told her how I felt. I always figured she knew. I should have fought harder for her. I just saw how happy she was back then and assumed she made her choice, but what if she didn't really know she had a choice? My mind started to calm down. I know what I have to do now. I have to fight for Bella. There is no way I am going to let that asshole take what should have been mine in the first place. If it comes to it, I wont fight fair. I smiled to myself. I felt a peaceful calm take over my mind I set my alarm for 6:30am and went to sleep.

It wasn't quite 6:30am when I was woken up by the sound of a little dog barking. I felt tired from not getting a good night's sleep, but I had motivation to get up and start my day. First on the agenda was to make a house call to someone I couldn't wait to talk to. I smiled to myself. This is going to be fun. I got up and grabbed my clothes, deciding on not wearing a suit, in case things get heated. I smiled even bigger at the thought. I grabbed a pair of gray slacks and a dark red button up and grabbed a pair of black boxer briefs. When I walked out of the bedroom my dad was coming down the hallway and he gave me an angry glare. I smiled, the dog was sitting on his lap, panting with it's tongue sticking out of the side of its mouth.

"Jacob, you need to do something with this animal. He drove me crazy yesterday." My dad sat there glaring at me. I stifled a laugh. "Sorry dad, I'll see if I can get him to the pound." My dad's face had an uncertain expression, but he nodded his head to show approval and then wheeled himself to the kitchen. I jumped into the shower and felt a bit more refreshed though a little disappointed that I couldn't smell her anymore. I'd have to fix that. The cuts on my knuckles were sore and inflamed. I put some ointment on then I grabbed some bandages and covered them up. When I stepped out of the bathroom after getting dressed, a distinct smell of blueberry waffles filled the air making my stomach growl.

I practically ran to the dining room ready to eat. This morning it was just Sue in the kitchen and my dad was in the dining room talking to her about the dog. Sue had a big smile on her face and when she saw me she walked over and hugged me. "Good morning Jacob." She said in her sweet, motherly voice. I smiled a happy smile at her. She cocked her head to the side. "You look better today. Yesterday you seemed so tense." I smiled at her. "I feel better today. Yesterday was rough, but I have a good feeling about today." I told her. Her smile lessened just a little when she asked about Charlie. "Did you find anything significant yesterday?" I shook my head no "But I'm not going to stop til whoever did this pays the price." I said darkly. Sue walked over to me and touched my chin. "I know you will find them Jacob." She gave me a sweet smile and then went back to cooking.

I sat down at the table and watched my dad as he reluctantly pet the small black dog that looked so content on his lap. "I wonder how long they keep dogs before they euthanize them." I said watching my dad's reaction. He looked up at me with some alarm on his face.

Sue walked into the dining room placing a huge stack of waffles on the table. An amused expression on her face. "I heard they keep them for about seven days. You know, so many people just abandon the poor things and they have a hard time keeping it up. It's sad really." She said and then petted the little dog on its head. The dog almost looked like it was smiling; as if he was in on the joke.

"Seven days?" My dad looked down at the dog with a concerned expression. "How in the world can a dog find a owner in seven days?" He grumbled then petted the dog a little more. Sue gave me a knowing look. "Well dear, what are they supposed to do? They only have so much room."

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing." I said acting as if I cared less about it.

My dad gave me a sharp look. "You brought this dog here Jacob, don't act like you don't care." he scolded.

I gave him an innocent look. "Dad, I didn't say I didn't care. If you don't want him to go to the pound then maybe later we can make up some fliers, try to find him a good home." I offered. "But, that does mean he will have to stay here until someone wants him."

My dad looked down at the dog disapprovingly. "Well, I guess if it will save his life." he mumbled. Sue and I exchanged sly smiles. Mentally hi fiving each other.

When breakfast was over I thanked Sue and gave her a big bear hug. I love that woman like she was my mother. I looked at the two of them, and a thought briefly caught my attention, but I quickly put it in the back of my mind to think about later. I went into my bedroom looking around, I decided to grab a change of clothes in case things got really messy. With a huge smile plastered on my face, I left and headed to my first destination.

I pulled up in the driveway next to the shiny silver Volvo. I got out and walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. After a few minutes the door opened and a red eyed, half asleep Edward Cullen answered the door. He looked surprised to see me. I glared at him and he looked a little shaken. "I need to ask you some questions about the murder of Charlie Swan."

He opened the door a little more and said "Of course, come on in." I walked past him bumping into his shoulder when I passed. He gave me a confused look. He obviously had no idea how much I hated him.

"It's been a long time Jacob." he said as he held his hand out to shake mine and I ignored the gesture.

"Not as long as you think." I mumbled under my breath.

"Huh?" he asked confused, but continued "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"No." I said coolly.

I walked into the large open living room and he motioned to the sofa for me to have seat. He was obviously thrown by my rudeness.

He sat in the chair adjacent to the sofa and I sat down pulling a notebook out of the back pocket of my pants and took a deep breath.

"Where were you Sunday morning between 7am and 9am?" I questioned.

"I was at my father's office we had a meeting at 8." Edward replied.

"Do you have anyone to corroborate that?" I asked.

He looked at me and nodded. "The secretary. She was there. As well as all the business partners."

"I need the names of all the business partners, and the name of the secretary and their contact information." Edward got up from the chair and walked to the counter that separated the living room from the kitchen. He pulled his briefcase open, grabbed a paper and pen and proceeded to write down the information.

While he wrote I continued with the questioning. "Do you know of anyone that may have had a reason to hurt Charlie?" I asked watching his face closely. He glanced up for just a few minutes and then kept writing.

"No, I have no clue why anyone would want to hurt him. He was the best man I ever knew." His voice sounding shaken. It didn't ease my mind at all. He finished writing and handed me the paper. A name on the paper stood out to me Caius Volturi.

Volturi. _Hmm, interesting._ I thought to myself.

I folded the paper and slipped it into my pocket. I looked up at Edward and he was standing near the counter looking uncomfortable. Much different from yesterday, he looked plenty comfortable with that red head. I thought and felt my temperature rise. I started to clench my jaw. My hands wanting to ball up into fists, but I tried my best to calm myself down.

"Is there anything else?" Edward asked.

I stood up and smirked at the fact that he was a bit shorter than I was. I walked towards him and stopped about three feet away. Never moving my hard furious eyes from his.

"How about yesterday? Where were you then, huh?" I asked coldly. His face didn't show any trace of panic.

"I was working." he responded, confused.

"Really? So your occupation is to be a whore then?" I accused. My hands clenching into fists. There was no fighting it now.

Edwards face turned paler than it was naturally. His eyes registering shock.

"I don't know w-what you mean Jacob." he stuttered. I laughed.

"You're such a little fucking coward." I spat finally releasing the venom pooling in my chest. "What you don't know Edward, is that for years I have hated you. Always knowing you were not good enough for her. Never being able to confirm it until yesterday when I stopped to get a cup of coffee and saw you with that red head. The best part? Bella's going to hate you when she finds out."

"I don't know what you think you saw yesterday, but I assure you there was nothing going on. I was at a meeting with a client who happened to be female. Tell her whatever you want, but I can make Isabella believe whatever I say." Edward said smugly.

I laughed. "Even if that was true, do you honestly think that she is going to go back to you after you gave her a black eye? How about after you gave her a black eye and had a cozy intimate meeting with a red head, the very day after her father was murdered? When you should have been here, holding her hands and not some filthy whores!" I growled trying hard not to punch him in his face.

Edwards expression was blank. "She loves me. She'll forgive me." he concluded.

"No. You're delusional. She has already fallen out of love with you. Its just a matter of time before she realizes the scum you are. Especially once I tell her what you really did yesterday."

Edwards face faltered. His expression becoming remorseful.

"Please, don't hurt her like that. She doesn't deserve it. Don't tell her what I did. Yes, I am an asshole. Yes, that woman was actually a client of my fathers and yes she probably did expect to sleep with me. I didn't. I couldn't." he shook his head and covered his face with his hands. I rolled my eyes.

"Lucky for you I love her more than that. I'm not going to tell her. Not now at least. I think you two are doomed as it is. No. Strike that. I know for a fact you two are doomed because I am not giving up on her this time around. If I see that she is starting to turn to you again I will tell her, and I know Bella. She will never forgive you for that."

Edward got angry. I smiled. "If you touch her Jacob I will kill you. She is my fiancée and she and I will be married! You leave her the fuck alone!" Edwards's eyes heavy with jealousy. He got up in my face.

"You're not good enough for her. You never were, that's why she wanted me." he snarled.

"I guarantee if she would have known she had a choice, you wouldn't even have had the chance because even at your best as a man, you couldn't equal half of me." I said confidently.

Fury filled his eyes. "I did have the chance. I have had her in ways you haven't even dreamed. I've felt her body intimately. I've had her devirginized blood and cum on my dick. Something you'll never know." He retorted.

I clenched my fist. It enraged me to hear him talk about her so crudely.

"Trust me, after the night I just had with her, I'm pretty sure I will be able to erase that memory from her mind completely. It'll be like you never existed. I promise." I said back. Feeling great because his face contorted in rage. He threw his fist back to hit me. I caught his wrist after it made contact with my jaw and twisted his arm behind his back causing him to bend in pain. I threw my knee up to his face feeling a satisfying crunch. Then I dropped him to the floor trying hard not to continue to pound on him. All the anger starting to subside as satisfaction surged through me.

"You bastard! My nose!" he screamed as blood spilled out of his nose and onto the white carpeting.

"I could take you in for assault on a police officer." I said to him calmly. "Do you want that? How would Bella feel if you assaulted me?" I bent down to whisper. "Trust me, she'd do a very good job of consoling me. I just hope your black eye looks worse than hers." I got up and walked out the door not looking back to see the damage. A triumphant smile spreading across my face as I left the house. A little disappointed that it wasn't a bigger fight, that my change of clothes was for nothing, but laughed that he seemed to hit like a girl.

When I arrived at the station I felt pretty cocky. It just felt like a good day. I walked inside where Mayland saw me and gave me a quick update. Then he told me that Sam was in the office doing paperwork. I walked to the back and looked inside knocking on the door frame before going in.

"Hey chief." I said with a smile. Sam got the call that he was the new chief. A small smile crossed his face, but he looked a little solemn. "I just wish the reason were different." I nodded, understanding.

"So what did Newton say?" I asked knowing Sam went to talk to Mike yesterday after I left to take the computer and he finished his domestic's call.

"Well, I got to speak to Lauren, but Mike was in PA ordering from Cullen Distribution. So he was out of town. Lauren said Mike did talk to Charlie about some heavy duty fishing line and Charlie was supposed to come in that morning to pick it up. Mike opened that morning so she wasn't there, she was taking the kids to church."

"So as far as we know the last person to speak with Charlie was Mike Newton and we don't have a statement from him yet?" I said getting frustrated. I understand small towns, I grew up here, but people should never get too comfortable where they are at. There are bad seeds everywhere.

Sam looked up at me. "Well, no, I called his house last night and there was no answer."

I nodded my head and said "I'll be back when I am through questioning him." I then walked out, heading to go see Mike.

I arrived at Newton's Sport's and walked in. The place was bigger than it had been when I was a kid. I looked around for a while. I was walking down the basketball isle when I heard someone approaching me. I turned to see Mike and he stopped just a few feet before reaching me. He didn't recognize me right away and it looked as though he was trying to place me. "May I help you?" he asked. I held out my hand "Detective Jacob Black." I answered. His face looked shocked for a moment. I know I was much bigger than the last time he saw me. "Whoa, hi... detective." He looked tired. His eyes were bloodshot and the space under them shallow and dark. Not the way he looked in his younger days when he was full of energy.

"I'm just here to ask you some questions. It may be very likely you were the last person to speak to Charlie before he was murdered." I explained. Mike nodded and then said "Okay. Sure, ask away, or, do you want to go to the office? It's behind the counter so I can keep an eye on the store." He said walking towards the area he was speaking of. I followed him and walked into the cramped overstuffed office. Boxes and papers were stacked everywhere. I looked around and the place was complete chaos. I looked at the picture on the wall of him and Lauren and their two young kids standing in front of a horse stable. When he sat down at the small desk he followed my eyes to the picture I was looking at and smiled. "Yeah, that's my family. I had to work hard to get that property, Lauren insisted on getting some horses. Now we have two and they are a lot of work, but great horses." he said it with a pride that was admirable. He sniffed, as though his nose was stuffy. I immediately looked around for the bathroom. I did not want to get sick. I saw the restroom sign off the the right of the counter and made a mental note to go there asap to wash my hands.

"Well, I'll try to make this quick for you Mike. Where were you Sunday between 7 and 9 am?" I asked casually.

"Well, I was here, I was stocking before we opened. Umm, Charlie said he was going to swing by sometime that morning and I wanted to make sure we had the place stocked. He was looking for new fishing line."

I nodded my head. "Did you see him that morning?"

"Uh yeah, he came in, I showed him the fishing line and he bought a couple of reels. Umm, maybe three." he said and swallowed hard. He started tapping his fingers on the desk. I looked at his eyes again and they were dilated. I made a mental note.

"So did he say anything that morning?" I continued.

"Yeah, I mean, nothing unusual though, just that he was looking forward to his day off so he could go fish. Oh and he was thinking of taking a fishing trip out to Idaho." he said and nodded his head. "I mean other than that, nothing. He said bye and that was it." he finished nodding his head and still tapping the desk with his fingers. He sniffed again. I cringed. I wanted to get away before he sneezed and got me sick. I stood up.

"Do you know anyone with a motive to kill him?" I asked.

"Oh, hell no, Charlie was a great guy. Who would want to kill him?" Mike asked bewildered.

"That's what I'm trying to find out." I mumbled. "Well, thanks Mike. I will be in touch if there's anything else I can think of." I mentioned.

"Yeah, absolutely, hope you find the fucker who did it." he said and wiped at his nose. I walked toward the bathroom and immediately washed my hands. I said goodbye and waved to Mike as I walked out of the store. I got in my car and started to head back to the station. On my way back I got a phone call from Sam.

"Jacob Black." I answered

"Hey Jake, I got a list of places that sell chloroform. There's only one close in Seattle and they only sell it to licensed agricultural veterinarians. They said they had a shipment to a Veterinarian in Port Angeles"

"Then I suppose I'm going to Port Angeles to question the Vet." I said happy to know at least we were getting somewhere. I smiled. Today will be a very good day.


	9. Pressure

**AN: Thanks so much for the reviews/favs/alerts! Thank you to TheUnderStudy for her awesome beta-ing! Seriously, shes the best. I cannot wait to let my eyes feast on her story when she posts it... hint hint! That's all I really have to say! **

_Tell me where our time went  
And if it was time well spent  
Just don't let me fall asleep  
Feeling empty again_

_Cause I fear I might break  
And I fear I cant take it  
Some nights I'll lie awake  
Feeling empty _

_Pressure - Paramore_

**Bella**

Today I woke up feeling a little lighter then I had yesterday. It wasn't much, but any improvement was a welcome one. Not to say I wasn't still in a lot of pain inside, but my eye didn't hurt at all today. I was hoping the bruise would be less severe. It was hard to get out of bed. I could tell today wasn't a sunny day. The window reflected a gray light inside of the room, matching the gloom and confusion I was feeling inside. In spite of everything going on, all I could think of was Jacob and how he held me, how undeniably safe he made me feel. I didn't want to even think about the other things he made me feel... I don't ever remember having such a physical reaction to anyone before, even Edward. Things with Edward just were a progression of our relationship. Of course, I was attracted to him, but it never felt as strong as it did with Jacob last night. Then the near kiss. The temptation of it was so great, but I owed Edward at least enough respect to not kiss another man until I figure things out.

I wasn't sure if it was the wine or a genuine feeling that had been hiding inside of me. Obviously, I love Jacob. That's why it still hurt me that he could just leave and stop all communication with me; but how deep did that love go? Is it real? Is it the love out of years of friendship or was it more? Did he walk away because he was in love with me? Am I in love with him? Was I simply confused by all that has been going on? There was one thing I knew for absolutely certain. Now that Jacob was back I have to do whatever I can to keep him in my life.

I sat up in bed needing to focus on something else. I decided to get up and grab some breakfast. I actually had an appetite this morning. Another improvement, I thought to myself. If only the ache in heart for my father would go away. I knew today Angela had to go back to work at the hospital which left me alone in the house so I didn't bother changing out of my holey sweatpants and tattered t-shirt. I walked out into the kitchen and browsed the contents of the cupboards, pantry and fridge. After much thought and deliberation, I decided on a bowl of Crunch Berries. I wasn't up to cooking right now. I settled down at the table to eat and just as I finished my first bite I heard a knock at the door. I looked longingly at the bowl of cherry colored berries and promised them I would be right back.

I opened the door to see Alice who, upon seeing me, gave me a huge hug that slightly knocked me off balance. She was petite but stronger than one would expect. I returned the hug grateful to see her finally. She had been busy postponing some meetings in Seattle for our business and we had a wedding yesterday and it was not something we could afford to push aside. It was the downfall of owning your own business. My fabulous staff took care of the catering while Alice put the wedding together. I know that she would have rather been here with me. She pulled back a little and held me at arm's length to look at my face. I saw her eyes welling up in tears then she quickly shook her head in despair and hugged me again. "Oh my god my brother is an idiot!" She cried. Then it hit me that she was talking about the bruise on my eye. I sighed.

"Yeah, its a doozie." I replied. She pulled back and looked at me sorrowfully and wiped at the tears on her face.

"So how are you holding up today?" she asked.

"A little better I guess." I answered but the thought of Jacob flashed through my mind and I flushed.

It must not have been that noticeable because Alice catches everything. It's like she has superhuman vision. In fact, I think she might even be psychic. I don't dare talk about that though. I learned that the first time I mentioned it to her. She nearly bit my head off at the suggestion and didn't even care to explain why it upset her so much. I just decided to leave it alone. I remembered my cereal and took Alice by the hand to lead her to the dining room table so I could finish eating. There really is nothing worse than soggy Crunch Berries.

We caught up on what was going on at work. She told me that Carlisle's wife, Esme, was going to take over until things settle down. She mentioned that the wedding was beautiful and that the bride's family recommended the business to a few of their friends, which was good because word of mouth is priceless and pays the bills. After discussing the work issue I finished my cereal and put the bowl in the dishwasher and Alice and I sat on the couch in the living room silently for a while. She glanced at me and shook her head again.

"What's the matter Alice?" I asked suddenly very concerned about her.

"I know that this is probably the last thing you need to hear right now Bells. I understand if you get mad at me. But for all things good and loving can you please put on something other than those ragged sweatpants and ancient t-shirt?" she huffed.

My concern left me completely and I rolled my eyes. "Of course." I said sarcastically. She stood up and I followed her lead to my bedroom and she picked out an outfit. I gave her a mocking glare as I put on the clothes. She picked a pair of black pants and a light blue top. The top was one she bought me a few months ago and I hardly ever wore it. I felt somewhat naked in it. It was too low cut for me to be comfortable. However, I'm sure it is modest by most peoples standards. She found a pair of black pumps. I particularly loved those shoes because they were pretty _and_ comfortable. I wore them often so I smiled at her choice.

"There. That's so much better. Don't you feel better? Now we just have to work on that bruise." Alice said when I finished putting everything on. Alice was a planner. She plans like her life depends on it. In fact, aside from the choice of dress, she has basically planned Edward and mines wedding entirely. Not that I minded because planning weddings was never my thing. Some girls dream of the day and I never did. It helped that Alice had impeccable taste and I know that anything she did would come out perfectly.

She grabbed her makeup bag and pulled out some concealer. I sat on the edge of the bed while she made magic. The whole time she was talking about the new apartment her and Jasper were going to rent out in Seattle and how she thought he was definitely going to propose soon. I had no doubt about that. Even without her psychic abilities telling her so it was obvious Jasper was crazy about her. They were a couple to be admired. I sometimes envied how good they were; especially lately with all the problems Edward and I were having, but I was so happy for Alice. She really deserved a happily ever after.

When she finished with the last bit of makeup I stood up to look in the mirror. "Viola!" she said proudly. You could hardly see the bruise at all. She did apply a little bit of mascara to my lashes but promised me it was waterproof. I was glad, I felt so shaken that I didn't know one minute from the next if I was going to laugh or cry or scream.

As we stared into the reflection Alice laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Edward loves you Bella. You know he wouldn't ever intentionally hurt you like that." She said softly.

"I know Alice. It was an accident. I know he is your brother, but things haven't been very good with us lately, well, actually a long time now." I responded.

"Bella, all couples have their ups and downs. Are you sure it isn't just a phase?" She questioned.

"I don't know." I whispered.

"It's that bad?" Alice asked seeming skeptical.

I relayed the entire story of the day I found out my dad was killed. I hadn't told her about the phone call, about how I felt so guilty for ignoring the phone calls that day because I was mad at Edward for the hundredth time for leaving me alone. I told her about the last few months of him coming home late and heavily intoxicated. I started to cry and Alice pulled me into a hug. She sat there speechless.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't realize it's been this bad for so long." She said sorrowfully.

"It's not your fault. I have just been bottling it all up and thinking it was going to work out, but now, I don't know." I confided.

"Do you love him?" Alice asked.

Jacob's face flashed across my mind and threw me off. I wasn't even thinking about him. Visions of the night before started searing into my memory causing me to feel flushed. Alice looked at me for a few seconds.

"If it takes you that long to answer then I would say your chances aren't good." She said sadly but kept her eyes on my face.

"I don't know what I am feeling Alice. I need to get through the next couple of days. Lay my father to rest and then I can focus on something else. I need to focus on my dad; I need to do whatever I can to help find the person responsible. Then I can focus back on the relationship and if we even still have one. I mean he worked yesterday, and he didn't have the same excuse as you, you _had_ to work. Your dad could have sat in for him." I said feeling angry.

Alice just nodded her head. She had a distant look on her face and then looked up at me slyly. She smiled and then said "I'm sure everything will work out for the best Bella. I have a good feeling about it."

"Thanks Alice." I gave her a hug and we went back out to the living room. My phone rang and I saw the ID.

Edward.

I told Alice who it was and she turned the TV while I walked out of the living room back into the bedroom for privacy.

"Hello." I said flatly.

"Bella?"

"Who else would it be Edward?" I grumbled. He was silent for a moment.

"I guess no one. How are you feeling today?" He asked sounding sincere.

"Like my life has been turned upside down." I replied with a hint of irritation.

"Are you busy today? I'd like to see you. We should talk." Edward asked almost sounding like he was setting up a business deal.

I was quiet for a few moments. I wasn't sure I wanted to see him but I knew I had to eventually, and keeping busy is my way of getting through this whole ordeal and it would be one less task I would have to do. I just wasn't sure I wanted too right now.

"I have to meet with the lawyer at noon. I don't know how long that will take, but I'll call you when it's over. If you're not _working_ then maybe we can meet at Forks Coffee Shop." I wanted a public place to ensure that I wouldn't do anything stupid. I heard him slightly groan and then he agreed. I hung up feeling more irritated with him.

I walked out of the bedroom and told Alice about the phone conversation. We sat and watched TV for a few minutes when I heard a knock on the door. I looked out the window and saw a black Mercedes parked out near the street. I couldn't recall knowing anyone with a Mercedes. I looked out the peep hole and saw a small man with gray hair standing with a briefcase. I looked at the clock. It was noon. I opened the door and greeted him. He introduced himself as Fredrick Banner, the cousin of one of my old high school teachers. I walked him to the dining room while Alice stayed in the living room allowing us some privacy.

He told me that my dad and him had actually attended the same college and that they stayed acquaintances through the years. My dad had hired him several years ago to handle his affairs. He was sad about the loss and let me know that he had spoken to my father a few months back to go over the Will my father had set up and that as his only beneficiary the entirety of my father's estate belonged to me now. He showed me the Will and told me he had a life insurance policy that was worth 250 thousand dollars. The amount shocked me. I had no clue, nor any desire to have any of it in the place of my dad. My dad was worth so much more than that. I felt tears threaten to surface and pushed them down as best as I could so I could get through this meeting.

He went over the legal stuff, which I only partially understood, but tried to keep up as much as I could, asking a ton of questions along the way. I was right about the funeral costs being covered and that they have someone assigned to handle the ceremony as they have special honors for police officers, which include bagpipes, a firing party, color team, pallbearers, and more. He gave me the name and number of the person in charge and to call him immediately to for arrangements to be made. As we finished with the legal work he told me of how fondly my father spoke of me, how he told him he was always so proud of me. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from breaking down. I thanked him for his service and friendship to my father and showed him out.

That's when the weight of what happened to my father fell over me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I turned around to face Alice who looked up at me and jumped up off the couch to hold me. I slid down to the floor and started crying inconsolably. I thought about yesterday picking out his casket and worried if he would have liked it. I sat and cried thinking about the way when I was little we would play "flip" I would hold onto his thumbs and walk up his stomach and flip over. I know now how tired he must got of it but he would play it for so long. I remembered him teaching me how to drive stick and the patience he showed me that I know that my mother never would have had. He was so gentle and loving and kind. How does someone kill a man like my father? Memories of my father flooding through my brain like a movie on fast forward. Thoughts of all the things I will be missing out on, like being walked down the aisle, or handing him his grandchild to hold for the first time, the things that could have happened if someone hadn't been so despicable as to take him away from me; from my future and _his_ future. I didn't know who did it but I hated them. I had never felt so much animosity over the uncontrollable before. I sobbed harder and harder almost unable to breathe while Alice cried along side of me. She held me tight and the comfort was there but not taking the pain in the middle of my chest away. We must have sat there and cried together for an hour. When I finally started to calm down Alice stood up and helped me stand back up to my feet.

"You okay Bells?" Alice asked me while pulling out a Kleenex and blowing her nose.

I took a deep breath. "I will be. Once they put away the bastard who killed my dad." I said coldly. "They'll find him." Alice said with a decided tone. I smiled at her. "I know. I know because Jacob won't let this go. He'll find out who did this and he'll make them pay." I said with confidence.

Alice looked at me quizzically. "Jacob huh? Have you talked to him since he came over yesterday morning?" She asked in a leading way. I felt my face turn a little red.

"Yes. I asked him to come over last night." I admitted.

Alice took a moment and her sharp eyes were evaluating my every move. "So what did he have to say for himself? Did he explain why he was all MIA the last few years? I know it bugged you." She asked casually.

"A little, I guess he didn't want to get in the way of me and Edward." I replied feeling a little nervous which caused my skin to flush and Alice's watchful eyes not helping one bit. She clicked her tongue and squinted her eyes at me.

"Could he have?" She asked with an arched eyebrow. I felt a tightness in my stomach, and I played dumb.

"Could he have what?"

"Come between you and my brother?" She answered not being fooled one bit. I felt jittery.

"Oh, well, I guess we'll never know. I mean, had Edward been so neglectful back then, well, then I don't suppose any good friend would encourage someone to stay with a person like that."

Alice smiled a knowing smile at me. "I don't suppose they would." She hesitated for a second and said "But no matter what happens, no matter who you marry and love and have cute little babies with, you will always be a sister to me." I felt a rush of relief at her words. I hoped they were true because Alice's friendship is so very precious to me. I decided we needed a change of subject. Alice was standing next to me with her arm around my shoulder. I turned her towards me and said "So?" She looked at me confused.

"How'd the mascara hold up?" I questioned, pretty sure I was looking like a raccoon mess. She giggled at me. "It did very well considering, you may need to apply more but I'd say you look great. Waterproof is the only way to go. The bruise isn't even showing much." She took a deep breath and hugged me, thankful for the change of topic. Her cell rang and she told me it was Jasper and sat down on the couch and started talking to him.

I took out my cell phone and the number that the lawyer gave me and called to finalize the arrangements for the funeral. I gave him the name and number of the funeral home so they could put it all together. He thanked me, told me he was sorry for my loss and we said goodbye. It wasn't just my loss though. The entire town is going to suffer. My dad was loved by all. I stood on my feet but I felt like a brick. My body heavy with grief and anger. Only one more day and then he will be laid to rest.

I thought about Jacob and felt a wave of gratitude for him trying to find my dad's killer. I had faith that it would work out. I had faith in Jacob. I looked at the clock it was nearly 4. I decided to call Edward and get it out of the way. I needed to know how I felt, not while drinking, so that I could start to put together a plan. One way or another, my life was going to go on. I need to take some steps to figure out what direction I wanted to go in. Down one path is familiar yet, broken and the other paved in uncertainty. I pulled out my cell to make the call.

**AN: I was going to post chapter 10 with this one, but my progress on chapter 12 is slow so I decided to wait til next week to post it. I like to stay ahead a few chapters.**


	10. Discord

**AN: Thank you all so much for your faves, alerts, and reviews! It keeps me motivated to continue on with the story. I haven't had time to respond to all the reviews yet, I've been very busy. Forgive me please. I will get to you all as soon as things calm down. This week looks promising. :o) Thank you to my wonderful, wonderful betas – TheUnderStudy and TeamSwitzerland28 for all their amazing work! That's all I got for now! Have a wonderful week everyone!**

_Long way from home, _

_lost by an echo,_

_I'd never have known_

_I've got pictures to prove I was there,_

_but you don't care._

_Out Of Reach – The Get Up Kids_

**Bella**

I pulled up in the parking lot of Forks Coffee Shop right next to a shiny silver Volvo. I wasn't thrilled to be here. I wished I could avoid this conversation all together, but I know it needed to be done. I walked inside of the cafe and passed the partition that separated the front from the open and brightly lit interior where I saw Edward sitting at a corner table looking desolate.

I took a deep breath and walked to the table and sat down quickly. He looked up startled, obviously lost in thought, not noticing I had come in. His eyes lit up, but the shocking condition of his face threw me off. He had two crescent shaped bruises under his eyes and his nose was red swollen and had a skin colored bandage that seemed to be holding it into place. My mouth dropped open.

"What happened Edward?" I gasped.

He had a fierce look in his eyes and looked as though he was contemplating something.

"I was at the distribution center and a box fell." he said bitterly.

I covered my mouth with my hands and my eyes were wide with surprise. "Wow, that... looks... awful." I confessed.

He smiled a little at that and said "You see why I had reluctance about coming here?"

I smiled back. "I've been bruised for a couple of days myself. It's not so bad." I joked. I felt sorry for him. I've never seen him look all banged up before. It still didn't change the fact that he has been a complete jerk. In truth, he got what he deserved for working yesterday. I felt the fury start to replace the compassion I had. He took his hands and placed them on the table.

"Bella, there are no words for the amount of guilt I have about yesterday. I was an idiot, I was confused as to whether or not you even wanted me around since you packed your things and left... I just want you to know I love you so much and I want us to work. I know we can. You just need to give it a chance." He pleaded.

"I've been giving you chances Edward." I pronounced every word slowly through my teeth.

"I've given you chances each and every time you come home late, drunk. I gave you chances every time you broke a promise to me. I gave you chances all the nights you wouldn't even bother coming home, and each time that work became more important than us. If either of us needed to give _us _a chance it was _you_. I'm done giving chances Edward." I snarled. He gave me a pleading look.

"I cannot lose you Bella. You are my heart and soul, I work hard for _us_. Everything I do even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, is for you. For our future." He explained. It wasn't a good enough argument.

I gave him an exasperated look. "Oh please, you know that's a lie. Your father has you on a leash and you're too afraid to break it." I spat.

He nodded his head. "It's true, Bella, I am afraid of him but only because he controls so much of our lives. The money, the house, my car..." He started to explain but I interrupted.

"Oh give me a break Edward. We are college graduates and we could do something on our own and be happy. The money means nothing when we are both miserable." I started to shake with anger.

"Your father didn't make you curse me out when I needed you. _You_ did that. While my heart was being torn apart, you didn't even think for a second it was urgent. I was just a needy little girlfriend bugging you. That is unforgivable Edward. I never call you at work unless it's important, you didn't even take the time to ask."

He looked ashamed, the black eyes making the look even more pitiful.

"I know, I know. It is unforgivable Bella. I completely agree. I was such a dick head and I shouldn't have done that. You've never given me a reason to behave like that. I was just in an intense conversation with my father... There is no excuse valid enough to make it right, I know that." He lamented.

Just then a waitress came up and said "Hi sorry about the wait you two looked involved, I didn't want to interrupt." she explained. I looked up at her and she seemed to recognize me and her smile faltered.

"Oh, Isabella Swan right? Oh honey I am so sorry to hear about what happened to Charlie. He was such an amazing man."

I took a deep breath and wondered how many times people were going to say that to me before it got tiresome.

I exhaled a long breath and thanked her then ordered berry cobbler and a coke. She took the order down and looked at Edward awkwardly as she obviously recognized him and had a hard time not wincing at his face. He looked extremely uncomfortable.

"I'd like the same please." She smiled and gave him a quick nod and walked back to the counter. Before we could say anything else she was back with our drinks and two plates of cobbler from a batch that had just been made. I thanked her again and took a bite of it. It was heaven on a fork. I smiled at the memory of my dad bringing me here and eating cobbler with him. I pushed the urge to cry down and got focused back on the task at hand.

"I know you say you're sorry. I just can't completely forgive you right now. I'm not saying never, and I will need someone with me at the funeral. I would imagine that you would be the person next to me. I don't know where we stand of course because I feel like any promises we made to each other are lost." his eyes filled up with tears when I said this and it caused me to pause and I almost took it back because it hurt to watch him in so much pain, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Tears were falling from his eyes and he gave me a sorrowful glance.

"I'm going to quit my job Bella." He announced. "I'm going to quit it because working there isn't worth losing you. I love you so much. I will die without you. Please don't give up on us. Please." he begged.

The words shocked me and I looked at him critically.

"Don't do that. Don't tell me that as an attempt at saving a relationship that may not have any future. The fact is Edward, I don't know if I have enough love for you to keep this going anymore." I said trying to not sound heartless, and failing.

He shook his head "You do have enough love for me, you do. I know it Bella. I know that we are meant to be together. I would give up everything for you. I'd live in a box if it made you happy, just don't leave me. Please." he pleaded and grabbed my hands holding them gently in his.

I looked into his eyes and saw the panic. It hurt me to see him so lost.

"I can't make any promises Edward. I'm sorry." I responded.

"Is it Jacob Black? Is he the reason you can't _make me promises_?" he said bitterly. The sudden change in his emotions scared me. I withdrew my hands from his and glared at him.

"Jacob has nothing to do with anything. How in the world would you even consider such a thing?" I asked baffled. His eyes were enraged with a jealousy that I couldn't comprehend. I shook my head at him. "You're losing it Edward." I snapped.

"Yeah, sure I am. I think it's quite the coincidence that he comes back into town and suddenly you want nothing to do with me anymore. So is he a better fuck than me?" he growled.

I felt as though he had just slapped me in the face. I shook my head in disbelief. "_What?_ What in the hell is wrong with you? What happened to us Edward? A few years ago we were great! I saw a future; a bright shining future with us, a house, and kids. In the span of a little over a year it's gone to shit. Now you're accusing me of _cheating_ on you?" I asked in disbelief. His eyes fell to the table.

"I'm sorry, he just... He came by the house this morning, to question me. You know... about your father. He mentioned he saw you and my imagination got the better of me." He explained this but never looked up from the table. I sat there and just shook my head at him.

"What is wrong with you? I mean, really, what are you going through some weird phase or something?" I sat back in the chair and pushed my plate away, my appetite lost.

He finally looked up at me with a guilty expression. "I'm fucking everything up aren't I?"

"Yeah, actually. You are." I sat there glaring at him, all pity for his broken nose gone.

"Well for the sake of our relationship can you at least stay away from Jacob? Or is that asking too much." he asked flatly.

"The fact you even have to ask something so stupid just shows me how little of a chance we have Edward. I could understand your logic if the roles were reversed and I was the one coming home late, or not coming home at all. You have some nerve to ask me to not be around someone who is out there trying to find my father's killer. Of course I am going to be around him. I don't give a shit if you don't like it."

"Don't be a bitch Bella, it doesn't suit you." he said looking away angrily. My mouth dropped open and I just about screamed. I held back and instead I gathered up my things.

"I'm going to forget you said that. I am going to go back to Angela's house and then tomorrow. I will stop by your house and we can talk like civilized adults or we can end things right then and there because let me tell you something Edward. I am dealing with way too much to have to deal with your bullshit too." I said and stormed out of the restaurant.

I returned to Angela's house angry. More than angry, I was infuriated. He had some nerve! He sits there playing this victim and trying to play on my sympathies throwing empty promises at me and then had the gall to accuse me of sleeping with Jacob? I walked into the house and started pacing the floor with so much adrenaline I didn't know what to do with it. Angela walked out of the kitchen with a smile on her face that quickly dropped when she saw me.

"Oh wow. What happened Bells? Are you alright?" she asked

"No, I am far, far from alright." I said walking from the hallway to the end of the couch and back again.

"Edward is such a total douche bag." I grumbled. Angela took me by the hand and pulled me to the couch and forced me to sit next to her.

"Explain." she commanded. I looked at her and she pulled back a little. "Okay Bella don't kill me with your evil eye." She joked and I slightly smiled. I held up one finger to her grabbed the throw pillow with my other hand and put it to my face and screamed as loudly as I possibly could when I was finished Angela had an astonished look on her face. I took a deep breath then relayed the events of my entire day. By the time I had finished I was worn out but still had a ton of anger surging through my veins. Angela just sat there in shock shaking her head. Finally she broke the silence.

"Wow, Bella. I don't even know how to understand all that you just said. I mean, I have had my doubts about Edward for a while now, but for him to say all that?"She was in disbelief. I took a minute and noticed Alice wasn't around.

"Where is Alice?" I asked.

"She went to dinner with her father. She'll be staying there tonight. She wanted me to tell you that she will be back here first thing tomorrow."

"Oh. Okay." I said simply then I remembered her date with Tyler last night. I wondered how it went.

"So, how was your evening?" I grilled. She blushed. I smiled.

"It was good. He's a pretty awesome guy actually. I always had him pegged as the jock jerk type but he isn't. He's really sweet." I had an encouraging smile.

"I have always liked Ty. I am surprised you didn't tell me sooner, how long have you been dating?" I wondered.

"Oh, well, he asked me out about a week ago and we made plans for last night, but I almost canceled because of, well..." She stopped.

"Yeah. I'm glad you didn't. You need someone new. You haven't really dated since Ben. That was almost 2 years ago."

"Yeah, I know. It has been awhile. Not like there's a ton of single men here in this little town." she explained. I agreed.

"How'd your talk with Jacob go?" She asked.

"Oh, it went, well, good. I'd say it was... interesting." I said and felt the blood start to rush up to my face the thought of his mouth so close to mine caused goosebumps.

Angela's eyebrows raised and she cocked her head to the side."Did he explain himself?"

"Yeah, I mean, I guess he didn't want to get between Edward and I. I think he thought it would cause problems or something." I answered.

"So, then you guys are friends now? Not to pry or anything." She giggled.

"Yes, I think we are... friends... now." I said with a smirk.

"He's has, um, grown up a lot. I noticed." Angela added slyly. I felt the heat crawl up my face.

"Me too. I really noticed that myself." I said trying to hide a smile. Angela giggled.

"So..." Angela encouraged.

"Okay. Okay. I think the wine was an awful idea. I felt like jumping him almost the whole time." I confessed putting my hands over my face as I said it trying to hide my blush.

Angela's smile widened. "Really? Did he notice? What did he do?"

"I think he must have noticed because we nearly kissed, twice. The first time his phone rang, and oh, I think he might have a girlfriend. Then the second time I had to stop it before it got that far because, well, I think he might have a girlfriend and how am I supposed to feel right now? I am so confused Angela. I mean for years I've been craving his friendship and now I'm craving him. I don't want to use him if he is just a rebound effect from having a bad relationship with Edward..." I stopped rambling.

"It's not a rebound effect Bella. I know this because when you two were friends..." she put her fingers in the air to emphasize "friends". "You two were completely in love. I don't know if you knew it or not but everyone saw it. Ask Jessica Stanley, she tried to get with Jacob, but he said you had his heart, and then Mike, he tried for years to get with you, but you only had eyes for Jacob. I was amazed that Edward even turned your head." She explained. Her insight had me stunned. I had his heart?

"Wow. But that was years ago so much has changed." I responded.

"I don't think much has changed Bells. You're both older, more mature. If anything this could be a very good thing."She advised.

"I had his heart? So then he must have been heartbroken when..." My heart fell to the ground. "Oh my god. I am a monster. I didn't even realize. I mean I felt like he was mine, but I never fully examined that. I always took it for granted that he would be around. Then he wasn't. How could he have stayed my friend for as long as he did?" I sat on the couch stunned. Angela was looking at me like I was an alien.

"Are you seriously that blind? Wow, you never realized Jacob was in love with you? You didn't see his flirtatious looks at you? The way he spoke to you?"

"He flirted with a lot of girls though. I would always see him flirting with them and stuff. I thought he just liked being single. I... I mean that night we almost kissed. .." I said in a daze. Could it be? He had said he had cared too much. Did he love me too much to watch me be with another guy? Oh god I was sick to my stomach thinking of how that must have affected him.

"Bella. You two had some serious chemistry back then. He flirted to make you jealous, obviously, but you were so secure with him you never got jealous." She analyzed.

"Why have you never brought this to my attention before?" I scoffed at her.

"You had Edward, why would I try to ruin that? As long as you were happy, I was happy. I never realized it was because you were blind. Had I know that then, I would have spoken up." She answered.

I was speechless. I couldn't even imagine, I tried to think of how I might have reacted if the situation was reversed. If I had realized the depth of my feelings for Jake then, and he went from one night almost kissing me to dating someone and pretty much acting like nothing in the world was different. I would have been so angry. I would have... I would have run away too, probably sooner than he did. At least he stuck around for a few years. My head was spinning. I need to talk to Jacob. I need to know if this was all true and if he truly had the kinds of feelings for me that Angela claims he did.

"Well, I think there's a whole new discussion I need to have with him." I said softly. Angela sat closer to me throwing her arm around my shoulders.

"I rented seasons one through six of Sex And The City. If you call him I'll be in my bedroom watching them. You won't hear a peep from me." She hinted. I smiled at her.

"Okay. I'm going to go make a phone call, but if he can't make it, we are sooo watching that together out here." I declared. I stood up, walked to my bedroom and called Jacob dialing his phone number slowly feeling even more nervous than I had yesterday.

"Hello?" I heard his husky voice answer.

"Hey Ja.. uh.. ahem.. Jacob?" I stuttered. _Smooth one Bells._

"Bella? Hey, I was about to call you." he said sounding beautifully cheerful. My old Jake.

I sighed for a moment. "Good to hear. I was wondering..." I stopped and had to check myself to make sure this is what I really wanted, as so much has happened the past few days I wasn't sure I was thinking straight. I decided I was but he interjected.

"I was hoping that we could get some dinner tonight. I know its short notice but I wanted to let you in on some good news. I figure you could use some."

I paused for just a moment sort of surprised. "Where do you want to go?"

"How about Smoke House? It's been awhile since I had the salmon." he suggested.

"That sounds great. I'll meet you there? What time?"

"I'll pick you up at 8." he said in a sexy voice. I smiled.

"Okay. See you then."

I hung up the phone and looked at the time. It was 6:45pm. I walked out to the living room to fill Angela in on my plans. She gave me the thumbs up and laughed at me.

"What is so funny?" I asked flustered.

"You look like a giddy teenager." She smirked. I blushed and went to my room to get ready.


	11. Reasons

**AN: Lots of love and thanks for all those who review. It really does help keep this story going! I promise that when I have a little more time I will respond to you all! Also, lots of love to those to Fave/Alert it, you all are the bee's knees! TheUnderStudy is the worlds coolest chick and most bad ass beta in the whole world. MUAH! OK I know... Shut up so you can read about the date...**

_I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you _

_The Reason - Hoobastank_

**Jacob**

I couldn't help it. I was just so excited. Between finally deciding to go for Bella, crushing Edwards face, and then the huge lead I obtained after going to Port Angeles, I was on cloud nine. I took a hot shower, I got out, grabbed a white towel. With it wrapped it around my waist, I practically danced into my bedroom. I pulled out a bunch of my clothes and laid them out. I was putting together different outfits trying to decide how to look hot without looking like I was trying to look hot. _How do girls go through this every day?_ I laughed to myself. I was trying to decide between a green polo shirt and khaki slacks or a white polo and black jeans. I sat going back and forth going crazy when I heard a knock on my door. "Who's there?" I asked.

"It's Leah, Jake. Open up." She demanded. I laughed and thought _Oh Leah, always so confrontational._

I dropped the towel and grabbed a pair of black boxer briefs, pulled them on, then opened the door.

"What's up Leah?" I asked letting her into my room.

"Nothing, just here to help my mom and Billy with the fliers for the dog. He's kinda cute. I think my mom is getting attached." She said sounding exasperated.

"To the dog or my dad?" I teased and Leah laughed then stopped abruptly. "Huh?" She said confusion on her face.

I laughed and said "Nothin' kiddo. So, he's actually trying to get rid of it?" She walked over and sat on my bed next to my choice of outfits and looked at them with distaste.

"Yeah well, who knows... He named him you know... Pita. It stands for Pain In The Ass..." She said and giggled then looked back at the clothes."You're not really going to wear either of these are you?" I cocked my eyebrow at her. "You don't approve?" She rolled her eyes at me and said "Well, it depends, are you going as a golf caddy or waiter?" Then she laughed at me. I groaned. I looked at my choices then laughed with her because they truly did look like both of those things.

"I want to look like someone she cannot keep her hands off of." I confided. Leah's eyes widened at the gossip.

"Who? Anyone I know?" She pried.

"Bella." I answered, expecting her reaction before she even had it.

Her face fell. "Oh my god... Jacob... Seriously? When will you get over her? She totally destroyed you before! Isn't she with that ridiculous idiot? Oh whatshisname? Edgar or something?" She had a look of disgust on her face and rolled her eyes. "Aren't they engaged! She's horrible for you. Why her? Of all the girls you could nail you want the _one_ forbidden fruit. Typical Jacob Black for you." She said with a huff. "UGH I should let you go looking like a caddy." She complained and crossed her arms over her chest.

I tried not to laugh. I stuck out my bottom lip. "Leah, please, I have a really good feeling about this. Trust me." I put my hands on her shoulders and faced her with a pout. She rolled her eyes and said "That's low Jake; you know I'll help you. You don't have to puppy dog me. Even if I think your making a _gigantic_ mistake. Where's your suitcase? We gotta figure this out."

It took about 20 minutes for her to concoct the perfect outfit. It came down to a pair of dark faded jeans, a deep red button down, my brown faux leather shoes and a brown faux leather jacket. In the Pacific Northwest you cannot own real leather. Sometimes you learn that the hard and expensive way. Like me.

Leah left my room and went out to the living room. I sprayed my cologne on and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I grabbed just a dab of gel to keep it from poofing out. It was starting to get a little longer than I like. I did a quick once over in the mirror, gave myself a thumbs up, then walked out into the living room where my dad, Sue, and Leah were all laughing at the dog who was standing on its hind feet doing a little doggie dance for a piece of the popcorn my dad was eating. The dog would walk forward two steps and then back two steps then get down on all fours, spin around and then repeat. If my dad named him then I was pretty sure he'd be sticking around and hopefully so was Sue. I gave Sue and Leah a quick hug goodbye and Leah said "Damn you're going to kill the girl with that cologne Jake. It's nice." She gave me a sly smile and winked. I winked back then walked out the door.

I got into my car and drove over to Angela's. I was anxious but excited. I debated on whether or not to get her some flowers and thought about how many flowers might already be there since everyone would be sending the condolences. I decided against the flowers but stopped off at the corner store and bought a little surprise. It was a meaningful little gift that I was sure she'd be pleased with. I smiled and threw the bag in the glove box and headed towards Angela's house.

I arrived at 7:55pm and tried by best to keep my cool. I grabbed my umbrella and hurried up the sidewalk to the front door and knocked. Angela answered the door with a smile and then let out a quiet whistle. "You must leave a string of broken hearts behind you Jake." She teased. I smiled at her and winked. "Sure, sure." When I walked in I sat down on the couch and Angela offered me a drink.

"No thanks, I'm good. Thanks for the offer though." I responded.

She sat down on the chair and started making small talk while I waited for Bella to emerge. We were in the middle of discussing the news about the oil spill in the Gulf when I saw Angela's face light up at something over my shoulder. I turned my head and my eyes widened. Bella, although always beautiful, looked stunning. Not that she had fancy clothes on, but she really put an effort into it tonight, you couldn't see the bruise at all, and her hair, was long and curled, flowing down her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of tight dark blue jeans and a blouse that was a shiny red number covered in black lace with some black heels. It was casual looking but so sexy. I wouldn't have ever guessed her to buy something like that. I was grateful that she did.

I stood up and smiled at her and she gave me an appreciative look. "Wow Jake, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were going on a date." She joked. I smiled a flirtatious smile at her "Well isn't that what this is?" I saw her beautiful skin blush and then added "Friends date don't they? Go out to the movies and stuff... Remember?" She gave me a sideways glance then said "Yes. I do." with a smile that caused my temperature to rise. She walked to the coat closet to put on a black mid length trench coat and I held out my arm for her and she intertwined hers with mine. She looked nervously at Angela and waved. Angela had a smile on her face and said "Have fun kids, I won't be waiting up." Bella rolled her eyes and then glared at Angela. I laughed and pulled out the umbrella and held it over her head till she was completely inside of my car. Then walked around to my side and got in. The hidden sun was nearly gone and it was even darker inside my car with the window tint. She looked over at me with an impressed smile.

"A Mercedes?" She said looking around the car.

"Yeah." I confirmed with a smile.

"Aren't these kind of pricy?" She said running her hand over the leather seat.

"I'm not a patrol cop Bells. I'm a detective. It pays pretty well. It's not as much as you're use to Edward bringing in, I'm sure, but it's a comfortable living." I explained. The smile she had on her face left when I said Edwards's name. Even though I love to see her smile, the fact that his name had the power to make her stop smiling made me light up a little inside.

"Let's not talk about him tonight." She said with a snap. It made me curious and I wondered if she talked to him and if maybe he mentioned his broken nose.

"Not that I have a problem with _that_ but is everything okay?" I responded trying my best to hide the glee I had inside.

"Mm hmm, I am done thinking about him more than absolutely necessary." She quipped. The fierceness of her tone made it clear the subject was over. My heart soared at the news. I threw the car into gear and took off toward the Smoke House.

When we arrived the restaurant was so deserted that the hostess gave us a choice of seating and Bella wanted something in the back so she escorted us to the booth handing us the menus and placing utensils in front of us which made me laugh just a little, everyone who lived here already knew the menu choices. It wasn't the best restaurant, but for a small town with limited options the salmon wasn't so bad. The steak was okay too. The best part about the joint? The service was so slow that I knew we'd hardly have to deal with any interruptions.

"So how was your day today detective?" Bella inquired with a slight smile. I imagine it must be hard to ask knowing why I am working here.

"It was... well, I got a few really good leads. That's a part of the good news I told you about."

She looked at me with an intrigued expression. "Really? Did you get a name?" She asked.

"Not a name but, well, how much do you know about what happened to Charlie?" I asked, trying my best to be sensitive about it. She shook her head.

"Nothing, I mean, I know they suspected foul play, but, I don't know why."

I nodded. "Do you want to know anything? Details? Or would you rather not?" I asked. I wanted to be careful because the last thing I wanted to do was upset her or tell her something she isn't able to deal with yet.

Her face lightened up and she nodded her head yes. "I want to know. I mean, try to hold back on some of the... harsher... details please, but I'd like to know the basics." She answered sounding like she was trying to be brave. I gave her a warm smile and looked into her eyes making sure to watch her reactions while I spoke.

"Okay. We know that the person who did this was not very experienced, it was sloppy work, but they also used chloroform. It's nearly banned in the US. So tracking down who has access to it is very easy, which is a huge help in the investigation. We got a list of suppliers and people around this area who buys it. There is an agricultural vet in Port Angeles who uses it as an antiseptic on wounded farm animals." I said still watching in case I saw a hint of discomfort in her face all I saw was a look of interest and confusion then she spoke. "A vet killed my dad?" She looked bewildered.

I smiled at her "No, I don't think he killed you father, but when I talked to him he said that he only knows of three people in Forks who he does house calls for."

She smiled slightly comprehending where I was going with this. Just then the waitress came up to take our orders. Bella ordered the grilled chicken and mashed potatoes and a coke and I ordered the smoked salmon with a baked potato and a beer. When the waitress walked away I continued.

"So I asked him when the last time he visited Forks and he said it was about two weeks ago. He visited the Newtons." Her face turned hard and she looked down at the table.

"The Newtons? Mike? You think Mike killed him?" she asked angrily.

"No, well, I can't say yes or no. The vet said he didn't need the chloroform the day he was visiting Mike because he was just doing a routine check up on Mikes horse Solomon. I questioned Mike earlier today and he doesn't have a solid alibi. Lauren was at church with the kids and Mike was opening the store, he met with your dad before store hours. It's possible, but when I questioned him I just didn't get the feeling it was him." I replied. Her face softened and she looked up at me and I continued. "I need to know how Mike would get chloroform from the vet without him knowing. Also, the vet keeps the chloroform in a refrigerator in the back of his office. It wouldn't be that difficult for someone to break in and get their hands on it, truthfully."

She nodded her head and smiled slightly. I was cautious as to whether to go on or not. The waitress brought us our drinks and left and I saw Bella take a long sip of her soda and then her eyes met mine.

"So what's the good news?" She asked.

"First of all, there is a surveillance camera across the street from the vet's office. I have to get a warrant from the judge tomorrow to get it and look it over. If things go the way I hope, they may have video of everyone who went to that office for the last few days. There's a good chance that there may be someone on there we can link to Charlie. We will get a list of the people who had appointments and match it up with the people who showed up. It will be a huge lead." I claimed. She nodded genuinely happy about that so I added my second piece of good news. "I had a guy in Port Angeles take your dads computer to find out if anything was in there that could point to a lead. Not only did he find some files your dad had password protected, but he said he recovered about 150 digital images as well. It could be something simple like personal pictures or could be something more substantial."

Bella was quiet for a minute and then her eyes met mine. For a long moment neither of us spoke and then she said "That is really great Jake. I'm so glad that you're the one doing this, because I wouldn't want anyone else to tell me these things... I don't think it is as hard hearing them coming from you, because I know how much you cared about Charlie."

I looked into her eyes. "And you Bella." I told her softly. She took a deep breath and I saw tears welling up in her eyes. I jumped up from my side of the booth and sat next to her. I pushed her hair back and brushed the tears from her cheeks. She rested her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her. I felt the tension leave her body and she just relaxed into me. It was the highlight of my day that I could help her feel better. I held her a little tighter. We sat that way for a few minutes when she finally lifted her head. I looked at her face and took my finger to wipe a stray tear from her chin. She inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. I looked into her eyes to make sure she was okay and was relived to see that she was. I got back up and returned to my side of the table just as the waitress brought the food. I decided to end the conversation on that note.

"So how was your day Ms. Swan?" I asked playfully.

She gave me a grateful smile and said "Not very fun, although, Alice is here finally. Umm, she's doing well all things considered. Then I met with my dad's attorney. That was shocking. I mean, not meeting him but my dad had a lot of life insurance money. I had no idea. The whole thing kinda hit me after that. I don't want the money Jake. I want my dad. I got the house and everything because I am his only beneficiary. I don't know what to do with it. I mean, I can't even wrap my head around that issue right now... Then I went to go talk to Edward. That was fun." She said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. Curiosity sparked inside me at the mention of his name.

"How is he?" I asked trying my best to sound nonchalant. She groaned.

"He's awful. Literally and figuratively. He had a box fall on his face yesterday and his nose was broken. He has two black eyes from it. It looked just...painful." She said with a shake of her head and a pitying look on her face. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. A box. The thought made my body want to burst into laughter but I felt that would be the wrong reaction to have so I stifled it as best as I could.

"Then he was such an asshole, well, sweet and sour kind of. One minute he was spouting out how much he loves me and wants us to work and the next he..." She stopped herself from finishing the sentence and looked up at me with alarm. I looked at her curiously.

"He...?" I urged. She blushed a little, hiding a smile.

"He accused me of sleeping with you." she whispered. I licked my lips and then bit them to keep the roar of laughter inside. She looked down at the table and giggled a little, which nearly made me break the small amount of control I had. I took a deep breath not knowing what to say. It was an awkward minute and I took a bite of the salmon to try and distract myself from it. I thought it was very typical of him to accuse her of such treachery. People who are cheaters often accuse their partners of doing the same. My cell rang and I looked at the number. Tanya. I grimaced. She will not take a hint. I hit ignore and saw Bella looking at me critically.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?" She asked quickly.

The question threw me and I thought I saw a hint of anger in her eyes. I leaned forward, smiled, and stared deep into her eyes."Not yet." My words were full of insinuation and she blushed a deep shade of red.

She tried recovering quickly. "Well, I thought that you would have one, at least, I thought you were talking to her last night in the kitchen." She took a sip of soda and I noticed she had hardly touched her food. The redness in her face started to fade.

"Leah called me last night. I have dated few women but I'm holding out for... something better." I said still staring at her face and the blush started to return. I loved having that effect on her. She smiled and stared down at her plate and took a bite of her potato. I went back to my plate of salmon as we ate in silence for a few minutes. The waitress came and refilled her soda and brought me another beer. Bella looked at me with curiosity. "How many can you drink before you get drunk?" I laughed.

"Quite a few, about 5 then it starts to hit me. I'd say about 8 or 9 to get me drunk. 12 and I'm pretty wasted." She looked as though she was considering something.

"So you weren't drunk last night?" she asked quietly not looking up from her plate. I smiled.

"Not even close. Were you?" I smiled.

Her face blushed. "I'm a bit of a light weight I'm afraid."

"Interesting." I said with a smile.

"So do you know what you're going to do about Edward?" I asked, deciding to change the subject.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "No. I don't want to make any decisions until after the funeral. That way my mind will be able to think more clearly. Make the right decision." she said sadly. I didn't like knowing that she would be staying engaged to that creep, even if I was sure that it would be over soon. I sat back against the seat and looked at her with a half smile. She looked up at me with a quizzical look on her face.

"I want to know something Jacob." she stated and I saw her bite her lip nervously. I was confused.

"Okaaay..." I answered.

I leaned forward and let me arms rest on the table supporting my upper body and I was pretty sure my muscles were looking pretty standout in the position. I saw her breathing increase. I smiled and tilted my head to the side and arched an eyebrow. She blushed a lot and looked down. It was silent for a good minute or so when I saw her take a deep breath.

"Why did you leave? I know you said you cared too much. Was the reason... I mean... was it..." She stopped talking and squeezed her eyes shut out of anxiety. I realized what she was trying to ask.

"I'll answer that, but I want to go get dessert, so let's go pay the cashier and we'll talk in the car." she gave me a dubious look and nodded her head yes. I smiled at her and helped her out of her side of the table, pulled out my wallet and left a heftier than deserved tip on the table. I paid for our meal at the cashier, pulled out the umbrella, and walked her to my car.

**Bella**

When I sat down in the car, I nearly had a panic attack. I quickly regretted asking him that question and I wanted to tell him never mind because the last thing in the world that I want is to make this an awkward situation. What if I stay with Edward? My heart fell... The thought was less than appealing at the moment but five years is not something you just turn your back on. Is it?

I took a deep breath as he got in, his scent wafting through the car with the breeze which caused my body to have a strong reaction. I tried the push the feeling down as he started his car and started driving. I looked out the window nervous about what he was going to say.

"Where are we going?" I asked realizing I had no idea where he was taking me.

"You'll see." he answered calmly. I held back a grin as I felt the familiarity of our old ways settling in.

About ten minutes later after hearing him sing, off key I might add, to his Shinedown CD and wincing at every other verse, we arrived at a place that I remembered with fondness. There was a look out where you could view La Push beach to the right, the city straight ahead and the distant national park to the left. I laughed in amazement. It had been years since I had been here and the last time I was here was with Jake just before he took off. He turned the engine off but turned the key so that the music would still play. Then clicked the overhead light. I looked at him curiously.

"I thought you said we were getting dessert?" I asked, being very confused by this whole set up.

"We are." He said in the sexiest voice I ever heard. He leaned towards me and kept his eyes locked on mine. My heart started to speed up at the closeness of him. His arm stretched out in front of me making his hand slide lightly between my legs. The sensation caused me to yearn for him to touch more but I kept completely still. He reached out and opened his glove box and pulled out a bag. I was thoroughly baffled, and a little disappointed, at this point. He smiled a sexy little smile looked at me out of the corner of his eye, winked, and pulled out a package of Fun Dip. I broke out in laughter. I laughed really hard for a good five minutes. He laughed with me and pulled out the sweet white candy sticks and handed me the cherry pouch and he opened up the apple. Just like we use to do. I couldn't really remember the last time I had laughed that hard. It was exactly what I needed. After composing myself, I ripped open the top of the pouch and dipped the stick inside of the sugary powder. I fell back into memories of the good ol' days when it was just me and Jake against the world. Carefree, camping out in the back of the truck.

I felt so good in this moment. Just the two of us, the lookout, and some Lik-M-Aid. I haven't been this happy in years. I looked over at him and watched him eat the candy with the same kid like intensity as when we were younger. I was down to the last lick in my packet and then laughed as he saw me reach for the grape his eyes opened wide. "No!" he yelled in excitement. He poured the green apple candy down his throat making a huge mess and then tried to grab the grape packet before I could. I was a littler quicker than him. I held it all the way to the other side and the entire top half of his body was leaned over mine trying to grab it. We wrestled for a few minutes laughing hysterically as we fought for the small packet of grape flavored powder. Exactly how we use to do.

I twisted back and threw my arm down to set the seat back all the way down. I slid back to the backseat clinging to the packet for dear life. He banged his forehead against mine trying to reach for the pack that I had held behind me now. "Ouch!" We both said in unison and then both yelled "Jinx!" I said Jacobs name first and then he threw his hands up to surrender the jinx but then reached quickly for the packet. He nearly got it. "You've gotten faster Mr. Black." I giggled. His whole body could barely fit in the position we were in with him on top of me while I was stretching backward holding the packet behind me. Then he used a dirty trick. He tickled my sides. I couldn't breathe from laughing so hard I was rolling over with a cramp in my stomach. "Fine! Fine! Take it! Take it!" I yelled, laughing so hard it hurt. He took the packet with a victorious smile, sitting up slightly. It took a long time for us to calm down. I was lying diagonal my back pressed against the back seat while my legs were flung across the lowered passenger's seat. He was turned around on his stomach leaning across me.

He was still laughing and rested his head on my stomach; both of us panting from the exertion. He looked up at me with this amazing look on his face. He looked free and happy. I smiled sweetly at him and took my hand and held it against his face looking into his eyes. I took in all of the features of his face. His deep brown eyes, the dimple in his chin, his full red lips set against the white of his teeth. He was amazing now, not that he wasn't back then, he still looks the same, yet he has this masculinity that fills his features so much more than before. His eyes are no longer that of an innocent child but as a man.

"So there was a question you were going to ask me at the restaurant..." He led. I remembered the whole point of me coming out with Jacob, to find out if his feelings were as deep as Angela said. To figure out if I was honestly that blind that I didn't see us for what we were. I had butterflies in my stomach.

"What made you leave?" I said quietly. He shifted our positions around so that we were using the backseat like a couch with both of us lying sideways on it. My head was using his arm as a pillow the position was crowded but comfy. He was looking down at me and took his free arm to softly stroke my cheek. The only sound I could hear was the music playing softly in the background and the patter of rain falling on the car. He took a deep breath.

"I left because it hurt me to much to stay. I hurt even when I was gone, but that pain was easier to deal with so I stayed gone. Went to college to move on."

"What hurt Jake? I need to know if its true." I asked softly.

"What hurt? You choosing Edward over me. I was sure you were going to be with me. It devastated me when I got back from my trip. You being with him the way I had always wanted to be. He was able to hold your hand, hug you, and kiss you. Oh man, the first time I saw you kiss him... I thought I was going to die from the pain. That tore me apart. I didn't eat much for three days." He revealed his voice sounding distant as he was recalling the memory. My heart sunk. It was all true and I was shattered that I didn't even realize how much he was hurt. Tears filled my eyes.

"Why didn't you say something Jake? I had no idea." My mind spinning with the new direction our conversation was taking me.

"I thought it was obvious. It was obvious to me. We were inseparable. That night we almost kissed was literally the best night of my life. I wanted to kill my friends for ruining it, but I didn't stress about it too much because I knew you were mine. I saw it in your eyes that night. You wanted me. Or I stupidly thought so anyway. It was the night of my life, and I didn't even get to kiss you. Then three weeks later, I return home to find everything was different." Jacob stopped talking to take a deep breath, obviously this was difficult for him to talk about. It broke my heart to hear him talk about his pain. Pain I had caused him. Tears fell down my cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Jake. I was so stupid. I didn't even realize how deep your feelings for me were. I sorta thought you were having fun being free." I tried to explain.

"Shh, Bella, you don't need to be sorry. I should have been more honest about my feelings. As obvious as I thought they were, I guess sometimes people need to hear the words to realize it. I should have told you. Don't be sorry." He said as he ran his fingers over my cheeks where my tears rested.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Jake. I swear to god. I wish I would have known." I whispered. Jacob looked down at my face and he gave me a sweet, slow smile.

"I know you didn't mean to. I might not have thought so back then, but I realize that now." He replied softly. The warmth of his body was consuming me.

"I don't want to lose you Jake. Ever again. You meant, you _mean_, the world to me. You always will." I confessed, my hands running along his chest, I could feel the definition of his muscles through the soft fabric. It caused heat to surge inside of me.

"Don't worry Bella, I'm not going anywhere." He said, his lips touching my forehead as he spoke. The sensation sending chills throughout my body.

I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck to hug him. His body was warm, firm, and sensual. He used his free arm to curl me up closer to him. I buried my face in his neck and inhaled his scent. It drove me crazy, making my body react so strongly that I instinctively brushed my lips lightly along his neck, arching my hip into his, feeling his hardness in response. It caused a craving I have never felt before. His body went rigid, his hand wandered down to my hip and reached around to grab my ass moving my hip against his erection but he stopped abruptly. I heard a low moan escape his throat. The sound enhancing the erotic feelings I had inside. He loosened his grip and looked down at me with his hot eyes baring down into my soul. My breath hitched.

"Bella if you do that again, I _won't_ be able to control myself." He stopped to take a deep breath. "I've been wanting you for so long, I don't know how much will power I have, and you encouraging me like that won't help." He squeezed his eyes shut. I could feel his heart hammering against my chest. "I know you're not ready to go down that road yet." He groaned, sounding as if he were in pain. My own body feeling as if it were about to break with wanting. I whimpered, knowing he was right. I pulled my body away and he sat up grabbed my hand and held it in his.

"When you are healed. When things aren't so fucked up. When you know your ready." He stated simply, squeezing my hand so tight it almost hurt. I sat up and straightened myself. Feeling beyond frustrated. My heart was jumping out of my chest. I nodded without looking at him."Okay." I responded, and with that, we got back in the front seat and he took me back to Angela's.

**AN: Up next Edward/Bella**


	12. Divide

**AN: I want to always start off thanking the people who review/alert/fave each chapter! You are all the best and make my day! You may be wondering why is she posting this so early? Well its either that or post on Thursday. I figured I would rather post it today since its already done and stuff. I'll be in Vegas for the next two days and then to the beach the day after that. Chapter 13 will most likely not be posted next week. It may take another week for me to finish that chapter. Its the funeral and I do not want to mess it up, I have it written but I need to go through and flesh it out and put some finer points on some areas and I wont have time to do that this week. So very sorry for the delay. As usual fantabulous, wonderful, and gorgeous TheUnderStudy did my beta-ing! Thank you girl! OK, I know, shut up Steph...**

_Can you see me?  
Floating above your head  
As you lay in bed  
Thinking about everything  
That you did not do  
Cause saying I love you  
Has nothing to do with meaning it... _

_Through With You – Maroon 5_

**Edward**

I'm messing it all up. How did I let things get so fucked up? What's worse is I cannot seem to control the garbage that rolls off my tongue when speaking to her. My last shot to try and salvage any sort of relationship that we have is today when she gets here. I have to keep the rage that Jacob Black filled me with under wraps. It's not like she would ever be with that low class piece of shit anyway, to think of it is laughable. All I need to do is keep my temper in check and everything will be fine. I know Bella. She loves me. She will forgive me and we will get married as planned. I got up letting out a long deep breath and walked to the phone to give her a call. It rang twice and she picked up.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey sweetheart." I muttered.

I heard her sigh. "Sweetheart? Yesterday I was bitch, but today I'm sweetheart?" She snapped. I deserved that.

"I am genuinely very sorry about that. I shouldn't have said anything like that. My head has been so scrambled the past few days. I am so sorry Bella."

There was a pause, I could almost hear her rolling her eyes at me. "Okay, so what do you want?" she asked in an impatient tone.

"Yesterday at the diner you said you would come to house and speak with me, I was wondering what time you might be stopping by?"

"Hmm, well I have a few things I have to do this morning. Maybe around noon. Will you be there or will you be _working_?" She scoffed.

I smiled. "I took some time off Bella." There was a pause.

"Fine, then I'll see you at noon. Bye." She said and hung up.

I took a deep breath. It may be more difficult than I thought but I refuse to allow that creep to get to her. There is no way I will allow him to have her. She is mine and I will make damn sure Jacob Black realizes that. I looked at the time. It was only 9:30am. I need to come up with a plan of action. I'm going to win her over and she will be in my arms by the end of the day. I thought about how long it has been since I actually held her. That's going to change. From here on out I will be the devoted man she has always wanted, nothing less. She deserves it.

I went upstairs and took a shower to get ready for the day. I picked out a black t-shirt and pair of jeans, with black sneakers. I wanted to be approachable, comfortable. Not like I have been these past few months, always in a suit or shirt and tie, stiff, not relaxed like the way we were just a few years ago. My cell phone rang and I picked it up of the end table.

Carlisle.

I groaned. "What the hell do you want now father?"

"Good morning to you too." he responded coolly. "Edward, I was wondering if you could stop by the office today, I need some papers signed and delivered to the Marsden account."

I felt furious. "No! I told you last night! I am not working for the entire week. I am taking time off to be with Bella. Have someone else do it."

I heard him chuckle. "You can't be serious. You really think that's _wise_ Edward?"

"I do not care what you think. I know that my fiancé needs me and I haven't been there for her because of some twisted fucking hold you have on me! I'm telling you right now, I am NOT going to work, so do not call me for a week."

"You're on thin ice Edward. I'll never understand what you see in that girl. If she is worth your job then so be it. You can find another, I suppose. I also assume you want to find another place to live, another car to drive..." He said with a sinister infliction.

I clenched my teeth. My heart hammering with anger. "Do what you must. If that means firing me for taking time off to grieve my fiancé's father's death then so be it. I'm done being your fucking puppet!" I said and hung up. It was the first time I have ever stood up for myself to my father. It wasn't as frightening as I thought it would be, I actually felt exhilarated.

I had a surge of adrenaline running through my veins. I looked at the time. I needed to go buy a few things before her arrival. I wanted to show her exactly how much I love her and how much I am willing to give up for her.

I went to the store and picked up some things to liven the house up. It has been so drab and depressing since she's been gone. I grabbed some ingredients for the pasta I was going to prepare for lunch. She loved when I made fettuccine con carciofini. It was a rare occasion of course, with me working so much. It was sure to surprise her, hopefully put a smile on her beautiful face. How I missed her. Her laugh, and the way her body just fit in the curve of mine as we slept. I cannot imagine wasting any more time apart. I have to do this right, get my girl to come home and give her the life she _deserves_. I smiled inwardly at the thought, though, what if she does come back and Jacob tells her what he saw? I could always tell her first. Make it seem as though it was nothing, which it was, this time at least. He has no proof of the other clients I have bedded in the past. It would be my word against his. She'll believe me. She's never been accusatory in the past and as dreadful as what I've done in the past is, I am on the right track now. I won't ever make her regret marrying me. I walked down the final isle and grabbed the last of the supplies then checked out.

When I got back home I was short on time so I hurriedly put the water on to boil and grabbed the rug I bought and moved the coffee table out to the side. I rolled the ultra plush rug out stepping on it and feeling the softness cushioning my feet. Bella had always wanted a rug in this room. I smiled at my slyness. Oh! I cannot wait to see her face! Doing all this made the fact that my face looked awful, not feel so bad. I walked over to the drapes and pulled them tight. Took the bag of tea lite candles and set them around the house and went back to the kitchen to throw the sauce together.

When the water boiled I placed the fettuccine in there and allowed it to cook till al dente. I tasted the sauce. Perfect. I started to hum myself a lullaby that my biological mother had sung to me as a child. I haven't thought of it in years, I remembered her humming it while making this very meal. It made me miss her. She died when I was six and a year later Carlisle married Esme. Shes a nice woman but never filled the void that was left by my mothers passing. I grabbed a bag of pre-made salad and set it in a bowl with creamy Italian dressing. Bella's favorite. I glanced at the time; it was nearly noon.

The excitement was building inside of me. I knew that this would lift her spirits and maybe relax her a bit. I have had such a short temper these last few months. More or less due to the rising conflict I have been having with my father. Of course it is awful of me to take things out on Bella, but relationships always have some ups and downs. Of course I will cover all this when she arrives.

I grabbed two wine goblets and filled them with seltzer water. I squeezed some lemon into Bella's glass and waited for her to come home...

**Bella**

It was nearly 11:45am and I had already had breakfast with Alice and Angela. I cooked of course, because neither of them knows the difference between a pot and a spoon. I made french toast. It was the first time I have felt like moving around the kitchen since my dad passed.

My love for cooking blossomed when I came to live with my dad in the ninth grade. The fact I was decent at it helped a great deal. He loved every meal, praised me, and always had seconds. I took pride in it. When I told him my choice to major in culinary arts he was so proud. He said I would make an excellent chef. I felt the ache in my chest begin to worsen with the thoughts of him so I shook it off and then went out to my car to head over to Edwards.

I pulled into the driveway with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't have much experience with break ups. I understood that they were hard and that one party would always be hurt more than the other. I just don't see how I can continue to be in a relationship when I am having such strong feelings for someone else. It wouldn't be fair to anyone for me to stay involved with Edward, much less engaged. Although, I would have liked to wait until after the funeral I just don't see how that could happen. I need to end it quickly, before anyone could get hurt any further.

I took a deep breath and exited the car. I walked up to the door and closed my eyes trying to muster the courage to face Edward. I opened the door and walked inside to find the house dimly lit with candles that had been placed all around. Walking further inside I heard piano music playing softly in the background. I turned towards the living room and my mouth fell open. Inside I saw a massive art deco style ultra plush rug and sitting on top of that, was a tray filled with fruits and two wine goblets. I looked around quickly thinking I must have had the wrong house. I saw the picture of Edward and I hanging inside of the hallway to confirm I was in the right place. Just then I saw Edward walking toward the spread that was laid out on the rug. His hair was a mess, he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans and he was barefoot. I smiled in spite of myself. I suddenly was hit with an aroma from something I hadn't had in quite awhile. I was surprised. Edward looked up and was startled.

"I didn't hear you come in, love." he said quietly and walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. I stood in place not returning the hug but not resisting it either. I pulled back and looked up at him, his nose still red but the swelling was down, the bruises under his eyes were still dark but looking less severe than yesterday. His hand came up to my face and he pulled me gently toward his mouth and he lightly kissed the top of my head. A chill went down my spine. I realized I felt nothing but indifference to it.

Edward took my hand and led me to the rug. I kicked my shoes off and sat next to one of the designer pillows he had laid on the rug next to the tray. It was a beautiful display, I had to admit. If he had done it sooner, maybe, it would have worked. He sat down next to me and handed me a goblet. I took it and looked at it critically.

"It's seltzer water and lemon. It's too early for wine." he answered. I gave a half smile as an answer.

"This is quite the set up." I acknowledged looking around at the candles. I saw a smile spread over his face.

"I wanted to do something special for you. I know it wouldn't come close to making up for the ass I've been." He replied.

"Well, it looks... great." I responded, feeling slightly guilty for not being more enthusiastic. I was trying to recover from being so thrown off guard.

"Are you hungry? I made fettuccine con carciofini with sun dried tomatoes, the way you like it." He said with a proud smile.

I wasn't hungry. I was nervous. I was here to break up and he was here trying to make up. This was going to be harder then I had thought.

"It smells really good." I said then took a nervous breath feeling tense. Somehow Edward must have sensed my tension because he got up and sat behind me then tried to massage my shoulders. His touch felt like sandpaper on my nerves. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. I wanted him to stop but hated to be rude about it. He was trying after all, but everything I had ever felt for him had died. There was nothing inside of me left for him any longer.

I felt another chill, this time breezing across my face. I trembled slightly. "You know, I really would like a plate of the fettuccine. It smells so...yummy." I said almost through my teeth. I had to consciously keep my hands from balling into a fist. I just wanted him to stop touching me.

He kissed my cheek then got up to get a plate of food for me. When his back was turned I wiped my cheek off. I drank the seltzer water and wished it were alcohol. I could use some liquid courage right about now. Edward came back with a plate of the fettuccine. I picked up the fork and took a bite. It wasn't bad. It was actually as good as I remembered. Probably the only meal he can cook.

Edward had a contemplative look on his face. I stared down at the plate wondering if he could sense the change in attitude toward him.

"What time is the funeral tomorrow?" He asked gently. The question was innocent enough, I supposed, but I couldn't help all the harbored bad feelings.

"11:00am. You gotta pencil that in?" I asked sarcastically. I expected his temper to flare but instead he was calm.

"No, I took the week off so I don't even know if I have a job anymore." He said placidly. That surprised me, I expected him to take the time for the funeral, but to put his job in jeopardy for a week off was strange.

"Why did you take off a whole week?" I asked cautiously, not sure if I wanted to catch the curve ball he had just thrown.

"I love you. I want to be there for you. I want you to know that you come first. Always. I will never allow my father to hold any power over me again. I told my father today he has threatened me for the last time." he explained patiently.

My mind started to race. Edward has _never_ stood up to his father before. I didn't believe he had it in him to do that. Then he does it at the same time that I have had enough. Here he is throwing away everything he worked for, and here I am trying to end it all. I am sitting here trying to figure out how to end our future and he is sitting here trying to fix it. I bit my lip and put the plate of food down, my apatite completely gone. How the hell am I going to do this?

"Edward, look, I am really proud of you for standing up to you father. That's great, but you need to do that for yourself. Not for me or the future we..." But Edward interrupted.

"You're the only thing worth fighting for in my life Bella. I would be nothing without you. I know I've been horrible. Just an awful, awful fiancé the past year or so, but I am here to change. To work on us. To hell with my father, to hell with his company, you the only reason I have to live. My job is not worth living for, you are." He claimed. I groaned inwardly. He is not making this easy.

"That's... really sweet but, I don't know..." I trailed off not wanting to have to finish the sentence.

"You don't know what?" Edward asked softly. "You don't know if it's enough? Did I fuck it all up that bad?" he voice wavered.

Tears started to fill my eyes. I had loved this man for five years. Even with him being a total jerk it wasn't easy to end it. We had some great times before he worked for Carlisle. I started to wonder if I was doing the right thing. Maybe I needed more time. My head said one thing and my heart another. He reached for my hands and I pulled them away. He had such a pained expression on his face that it made my heart break. I didn't want to hurt him. I wanted to speak but no words would come out.

"Bella, you've been through a lot these last few days. I haven't been there at all. Let me be there for you tomorrow. Give me at least that much of a chance to make it up to you. I swear, I will never disappoint you again. If you feel the same way after tomorrow then go ahead and we can go on from there. If you truly feel like the end of us is what you want, I won't stand in your way. Give me one more day to prove to you _our_ love is still strong."

The chilled air blew across my face. Feeling more like a warning than anything. The flames of the candles flickered. Edward slid behind me and put his arms around my stomach. I tried not to cringe. He lowered his head and spoke into my neck, his words infuriating me.

"One more day Bella. That's all I ask. One more day. I love you."

I abruptly pulled away from him. "Where? Where is this love? I don't see it! I don't feel it! You say "love" but when is the last time you showed me?" I said bitterly.

"That's why we are here, that's what all this is about. Me showing you." Edward said stunned by my sudden shift in attitude.

"You're showing me now? Some candles and a lunch? You, finally growing a pair and sticking up for yourself? That's showing me?" I snapped, my heart thumping in my chest. I stood up and the cold breeze caused some candles to blow out.

"Bella, calm down. Let's... Let's talk about this." He stammered his eyes full of panic.

"Talk talk talk! All you do is talk! All these words, your easy words, your excuses! When you love someone you don't have to have excuses. When someone loves you back they don't need to hear them!" I practically yelled. Hot tears streamed down my face.

He started to say something but I interrupted.

"My father DIED Edward! He is GONE! You have been NO WHERE around!" I started to sob a little. "Words? A Lunch? Candles? You really think that's enough to win me over after all you put me through? That it's enough to buy you time? I'm _sick_ of giving you time!" I cried emotions I didn't even know were possible consuming me. How is it possible to love and hate someone? To want to hold them and punch them? To want to scream and cry. Edwards face fell, the look of a broken man.

"I'm sorry Bella, don't do this." he started to cry. I cried bitter tears, my hands trembling as I wiped them from my face.

"Why are you doing this? I know you still love me." he wept. Seeing him cry tears that were caused by me tore me up inside. A burning sensation filled my heart. Pain, anguish, remorse, and anger swirled inside of me. "I do love you Edward, I hate hurting you, but... it isn't enough." I sobbed. I couldn't give him another day. I took off my ring and let it fall to the floor. Edwards hand reached out to it and he squeezed it in his hand. Clinging to it as though it held his soul.

"No... Please Bella... We belong together. Please." he moaned.

"I'm sorry Edward. I can't do this anymore." I said trying to catch my breath. I took a step backward.

"Bella, please. Please." he begged through his sobs. I saw him fall to his knees his hands covering his face, the ring falling to the ground. The sight crushed me. My instincts said to go to him. To hold him. My pride forced me to walk out the door.


	13. Farewell

**AN: Thanks everyone for your awesome reviews! I truly cherish everyone who takes the time to do so. I was very very busy on my vacation but I am back home now, and able to work a little more diligently on writing chapters and responding to each of your reviews. This one was a toughy. I re-wrote it three times. I have to send much love out to TheUnderStudy for her amazing and encouraging beta work. This chapter is sorta sad. Sorry in advance.**

_Beyond the door  
There's peace I'm sure.  
And I know there'll be no more...  
Tears in heaven _

_Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton_

**CHARLIE**

It's very hard to describe the way it feels when you cross over to the other side. Although, I am not fully aware of where it is I am exactly. I can say one thing for sure, it's not Heaven, nor is it Hell. It's just a space in between maybe. The first few seconds I started to cross I was being greeted by people I knew, some I didn't, but in all my stubborn resistance I held myself back from going with them. Harry Clearwater was over there, he told me it was time, but I didn't want to see him just yet. He died of a heart attack a few years back and I wasn't ready to see him. I just shook my head. I wasn't ready. I have a lot to do still. I have a daughter that still needs me to check her oil in her truck and change tires for her. I have words of advice to give to my grandchildren, words they will never be able to hear now.

To say I am angry is an understatement. Not just anger towards that shithead who put me here, but anger for the way Bella was treated after I was gone, or taken, or... Well, I don't know how to accurately explain where I am so I don't know how to describe how I got here. Some sorta limbo, I guess.

I was murdered. It wasn't a painful death, peaceful actually. It was my soul that was in pain, I knew it wasn't my time to go. I wasn't going to accept death easily. I have so much to look forward to. My daughter, who needs me, is just wandering around out there and there's no way to warn her of the filthy traitors that go around posing as friends, as family! I did try to, I called her before being caught off guard and... Well, now I am here, and trying to help her but I know she can't hear me, the most I can do for her is cause a draft, which is what I did yesterday. I hope that I, in some way, helped her to walk out that door. He's from a bad breed and though I was always skeptical of them, it wasn't till recently I realized how bad they are. Though, surprisingly, they aren't even the worst of the lot that live in Forks. I learned that lesson far too late.

Today is my funeral. It's the day of mourning over my passing. I remember when my father died how I use to wonder if he was there somehow. I can't speak for those who fully crossed, but to be able to be here and see all the people saying their farewells to my human form, well, it's just surreal. I hover around Bella, who has just been making me so proud. She's been stronger than I anticipated. I'm overjoyed by the fact that Jacob has been there for her. I feel as though he was being put here for her. It's a weird perspective on destiny to see things falling into place, almost like a puzzle, but not a physical one, more like a spiritual one.

I moved down to be around Bella. It hurt me to see her so upset. I wish I could tell her it was all okay. I moved to hug her. The service was about to start when I noticed that Edward was sitting next to Bella. Although it seemed like she wasn't really paying attention to him much. I pulled back to find Jacob. I saw him two rows back sitting next to a strawberry blonde woman. She looked uneasy sitting next to Jacob who was all but ignoring her. I wondered what the heck was going on as I was certain Bella and he had been making progress.

Once the ceremony began I couldn't help but divert my attention to my killer. As he sat there with his family, pretending to care about what he had done. How foolish he seemed to me. I know the reasons behind what he did now and I think them so superficial that it astounds me. What gets me the most is that in life I would have never pictured him the type to do this sort of thing. It goes to show how little you can trust anyone.

I turned my attention away from him. I couldn't stand to look at him any longer. I focused back on Bella and saw her crying still, Edward trying to console her but her stiffly rejecting his affections. It made me smile to see her refusal of him. I can't say he is all bad but just not right for my daughter. I'm sure there is someone out there better suited for him than her. I looked back at Jacob to see the girl sitting next to him getting up in a huff and the heels of her shoes clicking loudly as she walked out the door. Jacob had a stone cold stare in his eyes and his jaw was flexing. I could only imagine the thoughts going through his head. People were looking quite put off by her rudeness.

I moved to be next to Bella. I tried to wrap myself around her to let her know I was there. Her crying became softer and she looked up to watch the minister give his sermon. He was talking about trusting in the Lord unconditionally. He then asked if anyone had anything they would like to say about me. A few of my fellow officers came up and talked about me and my bravery, my dedication to my job and my family. It felt nice to know that's how I would be remembered. I focused mainly on holding Bella throughout the speeches. I pulled back slightly as Bella sat up straight when Angela walked up to the podium to give a eulogy...

"_I knew Charlie my whole life growing up here in Forks. He was like extended family to me and just about all of us here. When I was ten years old my own father passed away... I remember all the people that came to us and gave their condolences and how compassionate everyone was, but the memory that has always stuck out to me was when Charlie pulled me aside after my dad's memorial service." _She paused as her voice broke. I looked to the side of her and saw her father's spirit standing next to her sending his love to her to help her through this. I smiled at him and he waved. Angela took a deep breath and continued.

"_He gave me a hug and told me that he could see how sad I was but that he knew my dad was with me. That my dad would always be around me, protecting me, because that's what he would do for his daughter if he were to pass away."_ Her voice cracked and it took a minute for her to gather herself then looked at Bella with a genuine and tearful smile. "_I saw the... love... in his eyes when he spoke about Bella and I have no doubt that he is here, right here, with her right now... Because he loved her, and he loved this town, and I know he is watching over all of us and protecting all of us still." _ I smiled at her, wishing I could tell her she was right. I remembered that day and I remember not knowing what to say but I am glad that it seemed to be the right thing. I'm glad it helped. Her voice trembled a little as she finished with a poem.

"_There is this poem that I think, would be what he would want all of us to hear._

_Do not stand at my grave and weep,  
I am not there, I do not sleep.  
I am a thousand winds that blow.  
I am the diamond glint on snow.  
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.  
I am the gentle autumn rain.  
When you wake in the morning hush,  
I am the swift, uplifting rush  
Of quiet birds in circling flight.  
I am the soft starlight at night.  
Do not stand at my grave and weep.  
I am not there, I do not sleep.  
Do not stand at my grave and cry.  
I am not there, I did not die!"_

She started to cry and walked off the platform and sat next to Bella. Bella threw her arms around Angela and they sobbed together, Angela whispering consoling words to Bella. Angela's father and I wrapped our arms around our girls and held them. There was hardly a person in the room who was not crying. Had I been there physically I would have cried and told her she did a good job.

The minister walked up quietly to the podium and asked if there was anyone else that would like to offer any last words. I looked back at Jacob and saw both hands on his face concealing his tears. Billy was next to him with teary eyes, rubbing his sons back to comfort him. I felt envious of his ability to comfort. I wished that for one second I could do that for my Bella. I wrapped my arms around Bella's back, she shivered just slightly and she lifted her head a little higher and smiled, a little joy rose in me that it may have been due to my presence.

The service ended with a few officers from the station as pallbearers and they carried my coffin to the hearse. I stayed close to Bella who was trying to keep Edwards hands off her. Once they exited the home, Bella took Edward by the hand and walked him to the side of the building. I stayed close to hear what was going on.

"_Edward, I really appreciate what you're trying to do. I do. I just don't think it is the best idea given our situation. Please, please, give me some space today."_

"_Will you call me later?" _He asked sounding so sad it almost made me feel sorry for the kid.

Bella stared down at the ground for a minute before looking up at him.

"_Edward. It's over honey."_ She said as sweetly as possible. He nodded his head and turned around and walked to his car.

Bella cried for a few minutes when Jacob walked up.

"_Hey Bells, are you okay?"_

Bella glared at him with teary eyes and walked quickly to her truck and got inside. She pulled behind the hearse. Jacob ran to his car and got in and pulled up behind Bella, the rest of the cars fell in line behind them. When they arrived at the cemetery Bella walked out and followed the pallbearers who sat my coffin on the lift that was going to lower it in the ground.

I watched as Bella was held by Angela and they listened to the scriptures that the minister was reading the twenty one gun salute followed shortly after. As the coffin was lowered the people there were throwing roses into the grave and walking back to their cars. I stayed back a little watching Jacob who was looking torn standing on the other side of Bella but not touching her. Angela tossed her rose into the grave and turn to whisper to Bella something I couldn't understand, and Bella nodded then turned toward Jacob with cold eyes. Jacob held his hand out to her and she took it reluctantly.

"_Bella, I can explain. I know you're mad about Tanya but there is nothing between me and her, she showed up unannounced."_

"_Oh, that's great. She obviously thought there was __**something**__ Jacob or she wouldn't have come all this way."_

"_Look, she asked a guy at work where I was, I didn't even know, I.." _he stopped, took a deep breath and then had a defeated look cross his face. _"OK I should have told her that I wasn't interested in a relationship, but I honestly only went on a few dates with the girl. She isn't and never was a girlfriend."_

Bella shook her head looking off into the distance. _"Like I need to deal with this shit today..."_

"_I know Bells. I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. You're the only person in the world that matters to me right now." _He took his hand and cupped Bella's cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. He pulled her to his chest and held her. His other hand holding a rose. After a few moments she pulled back and told him she'd meet him back at my, or I guess now, her house. Jacob nodded and watched her walk to her truck. He turned to my grave and looked down at the rose saying a silent prayer for me. He tossed the rose into the grave.

"_I'll take care of her Charlie. I promise."_ I smiled knowing that it was the truth.

I turned around to see Harry was standing behind me.

"It was a nice service Charlie. She did real good by you. Even put your grave site under the tree you liked."

"Yeah, yes, she did a real good job. She always makes me proud." I affirmed.

"You can see her whenever you want Charlie, and you can still cross, it's okay to be at peace Charlie. It seems to be harder for those that were forced to cross but I promise you'll like it up there." Harry declared.

A sudden rush of warmth filled me inside, I felt myself being lifted calmly into the air. I looked at Harry and he smiled and started to fade away. I allowed the warmth to take me up, to the place I deserved to be. Peace and calm filled me inside. I looked back down at the Earth that was fading away behind me. I started to pull back a little part of me wanting to stay. I heard a loud and powerful voice calling above me.

"I'll show you the way Charlie and she will be fine. Trust in me."

I let go of my apprehension and faded into the light above, to my eternal existence.


	14. Adjusting

**AN: Hey guys, I know it took a while for this one... I've been ridiculously busy. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed/alerted/fav'd this story. This is a transitional chapter. It is a good jumping off point for the next chapter, which is almost done. From here on out the story will be moving along quite nicely and most chapters will have both a JPOV and a BPOV. For all you who question who dunnit' there are lots of more clues to come. Thanks for your all your patience. Hopefully chapter 15 will be posted next Monday. **fingers crossed that the writing fairy grants me lots of time to write/edit/beta** **

_But delay the mournful words  
Of complicated overcast  
Please take the message  
That you taught me how to live at last_

_Everlasting Friend – Blue October_

**BPOV**

I sat in my truck, in front of my father's house, staring at the front door and thinking about the service I had just attended. It was beautiful and though I don't think anything could ever be special enough for a man like my dad, I think he would have been happy with it. It had given me a little closure, though I think I'm a long way off from being healed. Does a person ever heal from the loss of a loved one? I stared absently at the front door. It was beginning to rain now, I felt like maybe the rain was held off just for his service. I thought about all the people there and then my heart sank into my feet when I thought of Jacob and Tanya.

She. Was. Beautiful.

I was so extraordinarily jealous of the way she held on to his arm walking into the funeral home. She looked like a model, long legs, shiny reddish-blond hair and full lips. It made me feel like a total fool. There was no way I could measure up to that point of excruciating perfection. Hopefully, God has a sense of humor and gave her chronic bad breath or something. I felt a little better when she stormed out. It was partly the reason I allowed Edward to sit next to me. That and guilt. His eyes were still black and his nose all painfully swollen probably from crying so much yesterday. I mean, he called me 78 times and each time he was crying, as my voicemails relayed to me 67 of those times. So yeah. I let him sit next to me. Once the service started I was sort of in my own world anyway, I kept feeling like my dad was there trying to make me happy. Even though my heart was breaking, I would feel a faint sense of being held and it's what kept me from breaking down completely.

When the service ended I had to let Edward go. I didn't want to lead him on and he needed to understand it's over. I watched him walking away and it hurt. I didn't want to hurt Edward and honestly wished I did love him enough to work it out, but when it's gone, it's gone. So I was grieving two losses today, the loss of my five year relationship and the loss of my father. It had taken so much out of me. I thought again of Jacob and how he came to me after the service. Initially, I was pissed off because he should have said something about her to me before I found out at my father's funeral. The fact that he had the audacity to bring her there! What in the hell was he thinking? I mean, really... I felt the heat of anger spread through my chest mixing with the pain. Then after the service he said I'm the only person that mattered to him. It felt slightly surreal that I could ever compare to someone like her. I took a deep breath and exited the truck walking up to the door slowly, the rain hitting my face and washing away any tear streaks that may have been there, I walked up under the overhang in front of the door to get out of the rain and looked down at my keys.

I heard the cracking of tires on gravel and the hum of an engine behind me. I turned my head to see Jacob pulling into the driveway behind my truck. As much as I wanted to be mad at him, I just couldn't summon the strength. He got out of the car and walked quickly up behind me. I looked up at his face. He smiled down at me and wrapped his arms around me. Comfort and warmth surrounded me and although I was just mad at him a second ago, I couldn't muster the strength to deny him the affection, mostly because I needed it.

After a long moment of just holding each other he pulled back slightly, my body felt cold from the absence of him. He looked into my eyes, even when laced with sadness, his eyes were smoldering.

"You ready to go in?" he asked softly. I turned to look at the door knob where my keys were dangling in the lock. I shook my head no, but whispered yeah. He chuckled lightly as I unlock the door and opened it.

I was surprised to find that walking inside of my father's house wasn't nearly as painful as I had anticipated. In fact, it filled me with a peaceful happiness as I looked around at the familiar surroundings. There were a few things that looked out of place from the police being in and out, but other than that, it was just Charlie's place. I smiled and felt Jacob lay a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him with a smile and he gave me a smile back. I walked to the living room and sat on the couch and he followed behind. He sat back and looked at me sweetly.

"That was a wonderful service Bella."

I just nodded and smiled at him. I closed my eyes.

"Angela's speech was great." I mentioned. I never heard her talk about what my dad had said before. Though, I always avoided talking about her dad's passing because I never wanted to upset her.

"Yeah, it was powerful." He responded.

I rolled my head to the side and looked at Jacob. He looked at me but his expression was slightly tense.

"What's wrong Jake?"

He gave a half smile. "I feel like there's an elephant in the room and we need to get it out." He said and rubbed his forehead.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I knew he was right, but I didn't want to be mad. I had just found a little peace, but I doubted I would be able to get through the rest of my day without taking care of it at some point so I might as well get it over with.

"Okay, so, tell me all about her then Jake. Since you had said you didn't have a girlfriend, how did she end up here? And how the hell did she wind up at my father's funeral?"

He turned to face me and I copied the gesture so that we were face to face then looked up at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and groaned. "Ugh...Okay. I met her about 6 months ago, she had been dating a lawyer then, the guy was a real creep. A defense attorney." he said the last part as though it explained everything. I just nodded.

"So anyway, about three months ago I was at a party, the captain was retiring and she showed up dateless and I didn't have one either so naturally..." I closed my eyes and tried real hard not to think of Jake with her. My stomach turned. "She had broken up with the lawyer dude a few weeks before. She is a student at Washington State studying criminal justice. I guess we had a little in common. We only went out a few times but she was... clingy and I don't... didn't... like heavy emotional relationships so I tried to just avoid her, and ignored her calls but that didn't stop her."

I got angry. I sat up straighter and leaned forward. "You don't treat women like that Jacob. That's not right. You should have been upfront with her and told her how you felt. You shouldn't just walk away when things don't go your way. You can't call her clingy when you're not being honest with her about how you feel." I lectured, and then slouched back down into the position I was in before.

He looked me right in the eyes. I felt my heart stop."Yeah, I know. I'm going to start telling people exactly how I feel from now on." He stated, obviously picking up on the fact that what I said could have easily applied to me.

"Anyway, she ran into a guy from work who told her where I was and what I was doing that I was attending a funeral today. She showed up there. I had no idea she was even coming." he said looking down at the floor. He shifted his eyes to meet mine. "There's only been you Bella. It's always been you." He said it so softly I wasn't entirely sure I had heard him right. My heart started hammering in my chest. His gaze never left mine.

"So what now?" He asked me softly. I shrugged a little and looked away.

"I heard you and Edward talking before I walked up. Did I hear wrong or did you tell him it was over?"

I looked down, suddenly uncomfortable. I felt like a bad person. I broke Edward's heart and here I am getting butterflies over Jacob. It wasn't right. I looked up at Jacob and gave a half smile.

"Eavesdropper." I accused then took a deep breath. "Yeah, yesterday I went to his house. We broke up." I confirmed. I had a hard time looking back at his face, the guilt was overwhelming. When I did he looked as though he was suppressing a smile.

"What? Oh come on, Jake, really... He's so upset. It's not right to be happy about this." I said and scowled. Then Jake chuckled. Out loud. I looked up at him holding my expression.

"What?" I asked sternly.

"You want to smile and you're scowling. Just like when you were 12 and you knew I would give you the toy from the cereal box, but you'd scowl anyway just because you didn't want to look smug."

My resistance was being challenged and I knew he had me. I stuck my tongue in my cheek to stop the smile. I brought my hands to my face and rubbed and he fell over laughing.

"Oh man, you haven't changed a bit. You are twenty five Bells. You would think you would have learned other ways to mask your laughter." He laughed and then I gave up and giggled then stopped because it felt wrong. I looked up at him with a halfhearted smile and then bit my lip. He scooted next to me and turned my body to face away from him and then pulled my back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around the top of my chest and lowered his head down and whispered into my ear.

"It's okay to be happy Bella. You deserve to be happy." Warm sensations vibrated through my body and I smiled at his words. "I know. I will be. I just need..." Lots of thoughts crossed my mind, like Jacob's lips on mine, his hands caressing my body, my hands all over his body...

"What do you need?" he asked softly into my shoulder. The air from his breath tickling my skin and causing urges that were so far from appropriate.

"Coffee." I answered and stood up to go into the kitchen and make a pot. Hoping beyond all hope there wasn't any five day old coffee sitting in the pot. I lucked out, the pot was clean. I gave my dad a silent thanks.

I glanced at Jacob who sat up on the couch and had an elbow resting on his knee, with his knuckles holding up his face, in "The Thinker" pose. As gorgeous a statue as it is, Jacob blew it out of the water. The only difference is Jacob was dressed, very nicely, and the statue was nude. Nude. Jacob nude. My heart skipped a beat. I forced myself to stop thinking about naked Jacob because it felt so wrong, having just left my father's funeral, and dumping my ex.

When the coffee was finished, I sat at the kitchen table on a cold chair hoping to cool down my hormones with hot coffee. Thunder started to rumble outside. Or wait, that was my stomach.

Jacob looked at me with a grin. "Hungry?" He said with a cocked eyebrow. It looked sexy and he wasn't even trying. So unfair. I can totally see why Tanya didn't want to give him up. I nodded my head yes and he stood up.

"Then let's go to my dad's. He's having a cookout of sorts, in your dads memory. Nothing big, but Sue is making Harry's fish fry since it was his favorite, and Leah made a bunch of food too, so we can go eat like we use to." He said with a boyish grin. I smiled.

"Sounds fantastic." I said and finished my cup quickly so we could go.

We pulled into the front of Billy's house and I could smell the delicious food the second I opened the car door. I was eager to get inside and eat. But there was a surprise at the door I hadn't been expecting when I walked in I was greeting with a "Yap yap yap" I looked down to my feet and saw the cutest little dog jumping up and down and shaking like a leaf. I thought it was going to burst into convulsions it was so excited. I bent down and picked it up and the dog plastered my face with kisses. I snuggled the pup and walked into the living room where I was greeted by Billy.

"Bella!" He said with warmth, his eyes falling to the dog in my arms, his smiled slightly lessened. "I see you've met Pita."

I laughed. "Yes," _Lick, lick, lick _"I," _Lick, lick, lick_ "Have." I laughed even more and put the pup down on the ground where he jumped up and down my leg excitedly then spun in circles trying to regain my attention. I bent down to pat his head and he licked my arm. I liked this little dog. I looked back at Jacob and he was smiling down at the dog with a smile. I straightened up and walked over to the kitchen to wash my hands and see if Sue or Leah needed any help.

When I walked inside I was greeted by Sue who gave me a soft hug. She looked into my eyes and smiled then kissed my forehead. She was a prime example of how a mother should be. It seemed to help the ache that was residing in my heart. I smiled at her trying to suppress the grateful tears that were threatening my eyes.

"Do you need any help here?" I asked brightly.

"No, dear, we are just about done here. Leah is at the store grabbing just a couple of things and when she comes back we will be ready to eat. Go sit." She said and patted my cheek. Jacob appeared and gave Sue a hug and complimented the her on how delicious the food smelled.

I walked to the living room and stood there for only a moment when Leah walked in the front door. She looked at me cautiously, but smiled a little smile at me. Her arms were full with two paper bags and she kicked the door closed with her foot. She walked to the kitchen table and I walked over towards her to help her set the table.

"Hi Bella." She said softly without meeting my eyes.

"Hey, Leah. Where is Seth?" I asked noticing he was nowhere around and not remembering seeing him at the service.

"He's in California, he got a full scholarship to Stanford so he is there for an orientation before the semester starts." She said obviously proud of her little brother then paused awkwardly. "He is really sorry he missed Charlie's funeral. We just couldn't afford the tickets to be changed. He wanted me to send you his condolences. He said he sent flowers to Angela's."

"Yeah, I think Angela mentioned it. Tell him thank you for me when you talk to him next okay?" I wanted to put her at ease. I didn't know how since I was uneasy myself.

We finished setting the table together in silence and every now and then offered an awkward smile. I didn't know why it felt so strange between Leah and I, but that wasn't something I had in my energy to think about at the moment. We called the guys to the table and we all sat down to eat. The food was almost too delicious. The conversation was light and full of laughter and memories of my father. Everyone was giving their own stories about my dad. It was surprising how much better I had felt at the end of the meal. I was almost too stuffed to move. I also noticed a flirtation between Billy and Sue. They sat next to each other and there was a little sparkle in both their eyes, a warmness between them. I looked up at Jacob who had a smile on his face that warmed my heart. I had a sudden pang of what I had been missing.

Family.

For all these years all I have had was Edward and his cold family with exception, of course, to Alice. My dad, who was great, and loved me dearly, was the only real family I had. My mother traveled all the time and sent me postcards but was not a wholly attentive mother, and never had been. I sat back soaked up the reverie that was in the room. I listened as Jacob poked fun at Leah, and watched as Billy would look at Sue endearingly and Sue would put her hand atop of his, smiling sweetly. Jacob and Leah seemingly had no objections to the pairing, I wouldn't have thought there would be since they were all so close anyway. I wondered how long the two had been together.

When the meal was over, Jacob took his dad into the living room and I helped Leah and Sue with the dishes. When we were finished I walked out to the living room and Jacob looked at me and gave me a sweet smile then got up from the couch. He walked up to me and pulled me into his arms for a big hug.

"You gotta see what I found Bells." He said and pulled me to his room. It was exactly the same as I remembered it with exception to the fact that the comforter had changed from a loud Harry Potter bedspread to a toned down navy blue one.

"What happened to Harry Potter, Jacob?" I teased as he walked to his desk and looked through it. "Bah," He said back and rolled his eyes. "I told you it was my sister Rachel's. My comforter was torn." I raised a skeptical brow, "Sure, sure. Whatever you say. Where is she?" I asked curiously. "Hawaii. Her husband is back from his tour this week. She might make it up next month." I hummed in acknowledgment. I walked to the edge of his bed and sat down. He sat down next to me and the weight of him caused the bed to slant and me to have to lean into him. I forced myself not to respond to being so close to him. He handed me an old photo of the two of us when we were fourteen. We were both all knees and elbows. I laughed at the goofy grin on Jake's face.

"That was the summer your dad took us to Seattle remember?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, it was fun, we went to the Space Needle and sat on the observation deck til sunset." I reminisced.

"Yep and remember when we were up there we could see a condo complex being built right on the water?"

"Yeah, it was so cool looking. We were in awe of that building. My dad was in awe of the fishing there. We used to talk about living there and being neighbors when we grew up." I recalled with a laugh.

"Guess where I live now?" Jacob asked playfully. My eyes grew wide.

"No way! Really?" I shook my head not believing him.

"Yep. I got lucky, I lived in an apartment complex not far from there and this other guy who worked in the department was moving to Arizona and told me that was where he lived so I jumped on it and got in there before anyone else had the chance. Right now I am renting but I am in the process of purchasing it."

I was jealous. I went there once when I was twenty and looked at the model they had for viewing. The model was heartbreakingly beautiful. It had open floor plans and the view was inspiring. I slouched down and crossed my arms. "What floor?" I asked knowing anything over the sixth floor would be perfection.

"I live on the fifteenth. I have an enclosed balcony. It's nice, because I can be outside even when it's raining and not get wet."

I felt like sticking my tongue out at him. I could only imagine how nice a place it must be. I looked at him. He was looking down at the photo and then turned his eyes toward me and had a smile on his face.

"Jealous Ms. Swan?" He teased. I was.

"Yeah, actually." I said and laughed."But, mostly just happy for you."

"You'll have to see it. Maybe one day soon we can get out there and stay for a few days once the investigation is over."

I laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "How's it going?"

"Not as well as I would like, but that is the deal with every case. I wish every case was open and shut, but this one seems like every time I get a good lead it just dead ends. The good news is I get Charlie's PC and files back tomorrow. I was at the station early this morning going over a few things. The surveillance at the Veterinarian's didn't show anything. It's just frustrating." he replied.

Looking at his face I could tell there was more but I didn't have the energy to ask. A large yawn escaped my lips. He placed himself at head of the bed. "Come here." he held his arms out towards me and I scooted back to lay in them. His arms wrapped around me and I melted into his hug. "I'm not going to give up. I promise." he whispered into my hair and pulled me tighter to him. My head rested on his shoulder and my body snuggled up close to him. My hand was laying on top of his chest. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heart under my palm. He took his hand and ran his fingers lightly over my arm the sensation relaxing my mind and body. Every so often I could feel him place a few soft kisses on top of my head. I smiled in response. My mind was blissfully blank. The heaviness of the day was lifted away and the ache in my heart was subdued. My eyes closed and in the comfort of Jacob's arms I fell asleep.


	15. Advising

**AN: Hey guys! I'm super stoked! My story was nominated for an award for best Charlie/Bella moment over at Jacob Black n Pack's website! It's a great site for all you Jacob and wolf pack lovers! In fact, soon you will be able to find this story on there along with some extra clues, hints, and extra lemony goodness. I'll keep you posted as to when it goes up. As always, I want to send my love to those who review/fave/alert. I'm posting this chapter early just for you! TheUnderStudy is my beta, and the wind beneath my creative wings! Ok... So pay attention to details in this chapter. Some clues are vital, some are not, those that seem important may be, and others not. :o) **

_Hope _

_dangles on a string  
Like slow spinning redemption  
Winding in and winding out  
The shine of it has caught my eye  
And roped me in  
So mesmerizing, _

_so hypnotizing  
I am captivated_

_Vindicated – Dashboard Confessional  
_

**BPOV**

_I'm on a huge boat in the middle of a beautiful lake. I turn my head and look at Jacob and he gives me a slow sexy smile and winks. I walked over to him in a yellow bikini and sarong. My body tanned from being in the sun for so long. I put my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply. My legs wrapped around his waist and I inhale deeply, his scent all over me. I hear a clicking noise and I look over at the gigantic fishing poles leaned up against the rail of the boat and see the tips bending and bobbing in the excitement of having caught fish. I get excited._

"_Jacob, the fish are on the line! Reel them in!" I urge him._

_He laughs and pulls me to him. "There aren't any fish in this lake Bella." I look around and where there was water everywhere suddenly it was just a bare desert. I looked up at him puzzled. He takes my head in his hands and licks my face. Rapidly._

_Lick lick lick lick lick_

"Stop Jake..." I mumbled mostly asleep.

_Lick lick lick_

"Ewww..." I groaned and opened my eyes to see, along with a wet flapping tongue, a pair of big, round, shiny, brown eyes staring back at me. For a few seconds my mind raced as to where I was and then I remembered upon looking around and pushing the highly energetic tongue away from me, that I was in Jake's room. I sat up slightly which gave Pita just enough encouragement to bounce up and down on my chest.

"Ugh... Pita... Who made you the wake up police?" I grumbled. I heard a laugh coming from behind me. I jumped. I looked over at Jake who was shirtless, in a pair of gray slacks, rummaging through his closet. My eyes were glued to his back. I tried to divert my eyes but they wouldn't move. Pita jumped up to lick my face once again but I held him at bay, my eyes never moving. I wanted to speak but no words were available to my brain at this moment.

"Good morning." He said turning around with a light blue shirt in his hands.

"Good morning." I squeaked, thankful that my mind worked enough to respond.

Jake walked to the other side of the room to grab a mini ironing board and my eyes having a hard time diverting from his chest, but when they did they only went to his abs which were equally impressive. I thought back to when we were kids and he was really fit then, but now...

"You're going to make me start blushing soon Bells." he said with a laugh. My face burned. My eyes shot up to meet his. He was laughing at me. I could have died from the intense embarrassment of my blatant ogling.

"Sorry, I was just thinking... How much you've changed." I said and looked down at Pita, who was now curled in a ball on my lap. My embarrassment burned through me. I started petting the dog to distract me from the vision in front of me.

I slid my legs over the edge of the bed and was ever so grateful I had the presence of mind to change into something comfortable before coming over here. I stretched making every effort not to watch Jacobs arm's as they flexed while he ironed his shirt. Pita jumped off my lap and ran out the door.

"Are you hungry? There's coffee and pancakes in the kitchen." Jacob offered. Coffee sounded like heaven.

"Yeah, I would love some. Did _you_ cook?" I asked skeptically. Jacob chuckled. "Nope, but Sue stayed here last night, and she wakes up at the break of dawn. She usually makes breakfast for my dad. Since we're here she made extra."

"When did they become a couple?" I asked, curious.

Jacob sighed. "They aren't, at least, they haven't told us anything about it. It's obvious there's something between them though. I can see they make each other happy. I just wonder what the holdup is."

I glanced back up at Jacob and tried to steady my racing heart and, with great effort, did not stare at his body. "They seemed so close last night. I know I haven't been around much the last few years but I thought I would have heard if they were together. Maybe they aren't sure how you kids would feel about it." I replied.

Jacob looked as though he was contemplating something for a second then pulled on a white tank and shrugged on the light blue button down. My heart faltered for a few seconds. Half of me was really sad to see him get dressed and the other half was very glad to see him dressed.

After breakfast and some good strong coffee, I gathered my things, gave Pita a kiss on top of his head, and called Alice to ask her if she could meet me at my dad's. If anyone was good at making things easy and efficient, it was Alice. I also wanted to spend some time with her since I didn't get to see her much lately. She happily accepted my request and an hour later we were in my dad's living room. Jacob had only stayed a few minutes after he dropped me off, but gave me a hug that was still with me. I felt warm inside.

"Well, you look... happier today." Alice commented.

"I feel better. I am almost happy. I don't know if I'll ever stop hurting over my dad, but I feel more at peace now." I responded. Alice smiled at me slyly.

"Detective Black might have a little something to do with it, though, I think." She said with a knowing look. I blushed. I felt awkward about the comment. I didn't want her to think of me as a horrible person for developing feelings for Jacob so soon after breaking up with her brother.

I shook my head and couldn't meet her eyes for a while when I did she had a smile on her face. I had to suppress mine in response.

"Bella, come on. I'm your sister. Whether your with Edward or not. I know he was an unendurable bastard and I am not going harbor any ill will toward you for moving on." Alice explained.

"So soon though?" I questioned. The awkward feeling intensifying.

"So you and Edward weren't meant to be. I mean, honestly, I have to admit I heard the rumors when we moved out here that Edward 'stole you' from Jacob. At first I rolled my eyes at it, but then there was a day when there was that huge festival, you remember? It was for Halloween?" Alice asked trying to recall the name of it.

"The Scare Fair?" I asked in response.

"Yes! That's the one." She exclaimed. "Well, while you and Edward were about to go through the Zombie booth, Jasper and I were about to catch up with you, but just before we got there we saw Jacob standing next to the Tomb of Doom. I remember that clearly because it truly fit his expression. Bella, it was none of my business and that's why I never said anything before, but he was visibly hurt looking at the two of you. That's when I started to realize maybe there was more truth to what people were saying after all. And you know Jasper, how empathetic he is. He felt really bad for him too."

I remembered the fair. Jake and I had been really looking forward to it for months. Edward and I had only been officially together for two months when it came. It was the first time Edward told me he loved me. I was shocked and said it back in response, but I wasn't entirely sure it was love I had felt; I said it anyway, knowing it would be true one day. We were standing next to the Tomb of Doom when we said it. I don't even remember seeing Jake at the fair. I felt a tightness in my chest. I was hoping he wasn't a witness to that scene. I shook my head in shame.

"Look Bella, I don't know what happened. I don't really care. If he makes you happy, and I can see that he does, then that's all I want. You look like you have life in your eyes again. There's a sparkle that hasn't been there for a while. I want you to be happy."

I hugged her in response. It was just what I needed to hear. I took a deep breath.

"Well, I have to admit it's nice to have him around. He's been so great. I just..." I paused. "Don't think I want to jump into another serious relationship so soon. I can admit my attraction to him is strong and my feelings are even stronger then they had been when we were younger. A lot has changed and I feel like I _need_ to take it slow, but a part of me just wants to jump in with both feet."

"Have you two talked about what's happening between you?" Alice asked. I shook my head no.

"You two need to work on your communication skills." She said exasperated. I laughed. It was true.

"Yeah, I think we will have to talk about it soon." I replied. The rest of the afternoon was spent going through some things in the house and cleaning up. It was going to be a process to try and get through everything, but with the love and support of my friends I knew I could get through it.

**JPOV**

I pulled up to the station tired, but happy. It was all I could do to not think about Bella. Holding her last night while she slept was the happiest I have been in a really long time. I didn't think it was a smart move to fall for her again. Every warning bell in my head screams at me when I feel close to telling her how I feel. I don't want to get hurt again, but I actually have hope that things are going to work out. I know it's not logical. Last night, the way she just fit into my arms, the way she fits _anytime_ she is next to me, the feeling of comfort that I have with her is indescribable. Not to mention how unbelievably sexy she is. It's laughable that she should ever be jealous of someone like Tanya. Tanya is all dye and makeup. Nothing about her is real. Bella doesn't have to try to be beautiful. She just is. Her long dark eyelashes, the almost unnoticeable freckles on her nose, the small of her back. It's more than a nice pair of boobs and a great ass... She has all the right things, but with her, it's the little things that make me want her most. It was a monumental compliment to me this morning watching her admire me. I rarely allow myself to hope, to let my guard down, but I have the smallest glimmer of hope that this might work out and I want to it to. I really want it bad. I forced myself to get out of the car and go inside. I had to put Bella out of my mind for now. No easy feat.

I walked inside and saw Tyler was standing with Sam. Tyler was rummaging through the fruit basket on the counter. Charlie's PC and data disk had been waiting for me on the desk that Tyler kindly offered for me to take.

"PAPD delivered it this morning." Sam told me. I almost too eagerly opened the boxes and plugged them in and waited for it to boot up.

"Where is Volturi's report?" I asked looking around the desk. Sam and Tyler looked at each other and then at me. "On the desk in front of you. Next to the phone." Tyler said baffled.

I rolled my eyes. I rubbed my tired eyes and smiled at Tyler. "Didn't sleep much."

"The red head? MAN! She was hot! How'd you land her?" Tyler laughed. My smile fell.

"No, not the red head." I replied flatly. I realized he must have seen her at the funeral with me yesterday. Then gave him a sarcastically disgusted look. "I just couldn't sleep well."

Tyler shrugged. "The red head would have been a better story..."

I decided to ignore his comment and turned my attention fully to the screen in front of me. Sam came to look over my shoulder to see what was on the disk. I opened the pictures file. There were about two hundred. Not very many, but hopefully some that would show us something. I scrolled through about 25 fishing pictures. Then there were some pictures of Idaho from a 2008 fishing trip he and my dad went on. I scrolled through to see some more recent pictures and there were a few of the holidays with Bella and Dickward in them. I flipped through those as quick as possible. Then there were about 50 more fishing pictures, with pictures of my dad trying to reel in a big fish. Nothing that would help. I sat back frustrated rubbing my hands over my face. I groaned. Back to square one. I looked at Sam. Who had picked up the report and was reading it. He sat it down lightly and looked at me. He looked stressed, tired, and worn.

"Back to the drawing board." I mumbled and sat up to grab the case file and flip through it.

"You know, it might just be a cold case Jake." Sam said quietly. He didn't mean for it to, but it pissed me off.

"No, it is _not a cold case_ Sam. I'm not giving up till the fucker who did this pays." I said harshly and glared at him. He turned his eyes down to the floor and shook his head slowly.

"Okay Jake." Sam said and got up and walked to his office. Tyler walked over and plopped down where Sam had sat. Threw an apple up in the air and then took a big bite.

"It could be drugs. Maybe it was a drug dealer. Drugs are getting bad around these parts." Tyler said with his mouth full.

"Drugs?" I started to work on that angle a little. Maybe he ran into someone who was dealing and... but the chloroform. It had been planned. Maybe he was close to busting a dealer and they caught on? That thought intrigued me. I also wondered why Sam wouldn't have mentioned the drug problem.

"Do you know of any dealers here?" I asked.

"Nah, I know plenty of druggies though. They won't spill for anything. Too scared." Tyler replied and took another big bite of apple.

"Names. I need some names, addresses." I handed Tyler a pen and paper. He began to write down some names on the paper and I got up to walk to Sam's office. I knocked on the door.

"It's open." I heard Sam call.

I walked in and saw Sam hang up the phone and he looked up at me. "What's up?" he asked looking distracted.

"Why didn't you tell me there was a drug problem in Forks? I can understand it not being mentioned in a murder investigation in a place like Seattle, but not Forks." I said with as much calm as I could muster.

Sam looked up at me with surprise. "Drugs have been a problem for a while Jacob. Drugs are everywhere. We busted a person cooking Meth about 3 months ago. That was about the most we could find as far as a dealer and druggies would rather go to prison than give up their dealer. At least in Forks anyway. Whoever it is, is scaring people."

"Why wouldn't you tell me about it though? The chief of police is murdered and there's a drug problem. Don't you think that would be something you should tell me?"

Sam looked defeated. "I'm sorry Jacob. I didn't connect the two. I suppose it's possible that it could be connected."

I was angry but also concerned. Sam's face was shallow. He hadn't looked right the entire time I've been here but I just attributed that to the stress of the job and the situation.

"Are you okay?" I asked in a different tone. Sam just stared vacantly at the clock on the wall.

"Yeah, I am. I have just been dealing with issues at home." Sam said and rubbed his forehead at the temples. He looked up and saw the questioning look on my face.

"Emily is... sick. She has a rare form of cancer." Sam confessed solemnly. His voice shook a little. My heart sank. I felt like the wind was knocked out of my lungs.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked even though the tone of his voice had already answered the question.

He looked up at me with a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I hope so. There's experimental treatments..."

I didn't know what to say. Sam and Emily are soulmates. He proposed to her when they were five years old. She held him to it and when they turned twenty they were married. They've been married almost 15 years. They waited to have kids till Sam made enough money to support them all. They had a three year old boy Levi, and a one year old girl Marie. I couldn't wrap my head around how hard it must be for Sam to see Emily ill.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked not knowing what else to say. There was a long pause. Sam got up and walked over to a picture he hung on the wall of him and Emily on their wedding day. Finally he spoke up.

"Make every moment with Bella count. Never let a day go by without telling her how you feel. If you love her, and she loves you, don't waste a second." He said finally. I nodded my head, I walked over and patted him on the back. He looked down to the ground.

"Don't mention it to people. I don't want them gossiping about her." He requested softly. I acknowledged his request with a nod. Feeling a heavy weight in my chest, I walked out of the office and went back to work.

**BPOV**

It was early evening when Alice and I had most of the house cleaned and things stored away. The hard part, which I couldn't see myself doing anytime soon, is figuring out what I wanted to do with the place, or its things. I rocked back on my heels. I had put a box of newspapers my dad had and placed them next to the fireplace. I figured, if anything, it would be good fuel for the fire. It would be much colder soon and if it's not me living here, whoever does live here will appreciate having extra.

Alice dusted her hands off on her jeans and gave me a big smile. "Well I think I'm about wiped out for the day." She stated.

"Yeah, me too. At least I can sleep here now that the clutter in my room is straight." I replied. I stood up looking around.

Alice picked up her purse and keys and walked to the door. I walked over and opened it for her. "Thank you so much for your help." I stated.

She gave me a big hug. "Anytime girl." she replied. She pulled back a little, looking in my eyes then she lightly cupped my face. "_Jump_. _It's worth it._" she whispered and kissed my cheek. She turned and walked out the door. I smiled at her tiny form walking out to her car. I laughed a little and pulled out my cell phone to give Jacob a call...

**Any guesses what happens next? ;o)**


	16. Saved yes a new chapter

**AN: Thanks to each of you for your patience. I love you guys! I'm using a borrowed computer so chapters will only come now and then. Hopefully I will have my own computer back (or a new one) so that I can update regularly again. (Cross your fingers for me this weekend ;o)) I hope you enjoy this chapter. Gotta give me love to the super fabulous TheUnderStudy for being the worlds best beta. I'm not joking that girl is awesome! I'm on twitter stephlite so you can follow me and see whats new OH and I'm going to post this story over at Jacob Black and Pack. OH and this story won best Charlie/Bella moment! EEEEEEK I cannot describe how happy that made me. Oh yeah yeah yeah I know… I'll shut up now… Love ya'll!**

_Show me what it's like_  
_ To be the last one standing_  
_ And teach me wrong from right_  
_ And I'll show you what I can be_  
_ Say it for me_  
_ Say it to me_  
_ And I'll leave this life behind me_  
_ Say it if it's worth saving me_

_Savin' me - Nickleback_

The best part of cooking is watching what you put together become something delicious. Separately each ingredient is nearly inedible but when you put them together with one another and add a little heat, the outcome becomes a delicious meal. It's like magic. But just the same, if you put two ingredients together that don't belong, or over cook them, the flavors will clash and will never work.

I was deep into this philosophical thought when I heard a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock, it was only 9:00pm. Jake was early but I didn't mind. He'd just have to sit and salivate till the meal was done. I looked at myself quickly in the mirror. I had left my hair down and curled just the ends. My make up was simple, mascara and lip gloss. I didn't want to look like I was trying too hard. Another knock at the door. Louder this time. Jeez pushy much? I straightened top of the black cotton dress I had on and walked as calmly as possible to the door. In truth, my heart was a battering ram in my chest. I felt like tonight would be pivotal to our relationship. I took a deep breath and….

I squeezed my eyes shut and lightly bumped my head against the frame. "What are you doing here Edward?" I asked impatiently and looked at him with irritation.

Edward let out a low whistle, I could smell alcohol on his breath and cringed.

"Yer, looking beautiful tonight." He slurred. My irritation increased.

"Uh huh, what do you want Edward?" I snapped.

His glazed eyes looked at me with sarcasm. "Isn't it obvious?" he said with a grin then proceeded to stare at my cleavage then slowly lifted his eyes to mine.

"I don't have time for this, I got to get back to dinner. What do you want? Do you need me to call you a cab?" I replied.

"Dinner, it smells so good. I miss your cooking Bella." He said and reached for my hand. I quickly snapped it back.

"Edward, look, I cannot do this right now. I think you should let me call you a cab. Your obviously not in any condition to drive." As I spoke the skies decided to open up. The rain pouring down.

"Can I come in? I just want to hang out for a bit." He slurred and leaned into the door. I looked at his Volvo that was parked half on the lawn and half on the driveway. Part of me wanted to not care that he was driving drunk, but the side of me that feared for the other people on the road won over my conscience. If he heard me call the cops chances are he'd drive off and I'd be worried sick about him killing someone, at the moment I could care less about his own safety. I begrudgingly opened the door to him and saw a victorious smile spread across his face.

As he passed me I could smell whiskey and cologne and it was nothing short of repulsive. I closed the door and walked to the kitchen where the house phone was hung up. I picked it up and called the local cab service. They only had two cars for this town and considering that the local bar was pretty much the only place that used them, I was pretty sure they would get here quickly. I ordered the cab and thanked the person on the line and hinted for them to get here ASAP. When I hung up the phone Edward was suddenly behind me and it caused me to jump. I turned around quickly to face him and noticed the look on his face had changed from friendly drunk to something less benevolent. The expression causing my heart to race with uneasiness.

"You should sit down before you hurt yourself. I got to get back to making dinner." I said trying to side step around him and sound calm but he blocked my attempt. I glared at him.

"I can call the station and they will be here in a hot minute to pick you up. Watch yourself." I said sternly.

Edward laughed with a slight sinister edge that caused my heart to pick up its pace. I've never seen him behave so erratically.

"Your so naive. You think the cops will help you? That's laughable." He snickered and looked at me with an amused smile.

"Yes. They will. I have someone coming for dinner in a few minutes who just so happens to be a cop, so you might want to rethink whatever it is you're thinking." I snapped.

He laughed bitterly. "Oh Jakey, the dashing detective. What a crock of shit he is."

I blanched and pushed Edward to the side catching him off guard. He stumbled backward and I walked to the kitchen to turn the oven off so that the rolls wouldn't burn. I tried to ignore his angry, drunken laughter. I could feel my face burning red with anger. It was a mistake. I should have just called the station, I scolded myself. Thunder started rolling around the house giving a soundtrack to the already tense and somewhat frightening situation. I turned to walk out of the kitchen and saw Edward was standing at the entrance next to the phone. I looked to the living room where my purse and cell phone were laying. I groaned inwardly. I had to find a way to call the station. Edward looked like a lion waiting to pounce on its prey. He took a step in my direction. His green eyes glazed and heated. I felt trapped. I decided to pretend not to notice him and finished fixing the meal I had prepared.

"So did he tell you about the woman? Is that what drove you away? That fucker told you about her?"

I heard the words but had trouble processing them. What woman? What was he talking about? I turned to face Edward. My heart was pounding from the adrenaline coursing through me. Edwards face changed from angry to startled.

"He didn't tell you did he? He kept that from you?" His words slurring together. My mind went blank. I had no clue what he was talking about.

"No. What woman Edward?" I questioned angrily. Edwards eyes registered my anger and he looked pleased.

"Well, now, obviously that's something Mr. Detective will have to answer for you."

I felt the anger hitting its peak. "Look Edward I don't know what your talking about but if you don't watch yourse…" I started to tell him off then he cut me off. He pushed me against the wall and with a finger pointed in my face said "You need to watch _your_ pretty little neck Bella. You don't know what the people in this town are capable of." As if on cue lightening flashed and caused the light in the house to flicker.

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. "What are you talking about Edward?" I asked my voice shaking from dread and anger. The smell of his alcohol breath making me gag.

"Take a close look at your friends and neighbors. You think I'm here cuz I'm drunk, right? Well I am, but that's not why I'm here. You think its because I want you back? Well, I do but, nope. I'm warning _you _Bella. Watch out. Tell Angela to be careful too." his face merely an inch away from mine. I felt a shaken sob fill my throat and then he took a step backward. I heard the sound of a horn honking.

"Your cab is here. You need to leave. Now!" I said harshly and pointed to the door my eyes stinging with tears.

Edward back slowly toward the front door. He glared angrily at me. "It's _not _me you need to be scared of Bella. Remember that." he warned and stumbled out the front door.

His words shook me. I felt cold inside as though I was oblivious to the world around me. My mind started to race and I went to the phone to call Angela to make sure she was ok. It went to voicemail.

"Hey Ang, It's Bella. Call me."

As soon as I hung up I heard a knock on the door and it made me jump. I wiped the mascara stained tears off my face and answered the door. "Why is Edwards car here?" he started to ask then he looked at my face. "What's wrong Bella?" He asked concern pouring out of his voice. He could tell by looking at me I was upset. I smelled the food on the stove burning but I didn't much care at the moment. He walked inside closing the door behind him. I walked to the kitchen and turned the stove off. Dinner was ruined. With a ragged breath I told him what had happened.

When I was finished telling him the events of the evening he stood up and paced the floor. "He knows something. That fucking weasel." Jake mumbled. I nodded my head.

"He could have just been babbling drunk, but the look in his eyes Jake. I have never seen Edward act or look that way. Ever."

"You don't know if they took him home? I want to go talk to him." Jake said. The anger in his eyes told me he was going to do more than talk.

"I don't know. His keys are on the coffee table so he probably went to Carlisle's." I answered. Jake nodded his head then he looked at me. I saw his whole demeanor change as he looked at my face. He sat down next to me and held me in his arms. I took a shaky breath and let myself relax into him. I was always caught off guard by how comforted I was when I was with him. He felt warm and soothing and safe. He pressed his lips to the top of my head. "Go get cleaned up. I'll take care of the rest of this." My heart started to hammer.

"You're not leaving are you?" I asked suddenly panicked. Jake gave me a comforting smile.

"No. I'm not going anywhere Bells." he answered. I saw a glimmer of something in his eyes but couldn't tell what. I gave him a quick smile. " Good. I don't want to be alone." I mumbled softly and started upstairs to grab some clean clothes and a hot shower.

I took a longer shower than I had intended to. I just had to get the feeling I had off of my skin. I felt a lot better once I got out and I slipped into some light blue cotton pajama pants and white camisole. I wrapped the towel around my head turban style and went downstairs where the lights were dim and I saw the candles I had placed on the table lit. A pizza was placed in the center of the table and I giggled. Pizza by candlelight.

Jake was sitting on one side of the table with a glass of wine and a smile. I looked and saw the entire kitchen had been cleaned up. I felt warmth in my chest. I walked to the table and pulled a piece of pizza off and placed it on my plate. I looked up at Jake with a smile. I didn't have words right now.

"Do you want to talk about it anymore?" Jake asked. I shook my head no. No need to rehash it. I just wanted to enjoy my time with Jake.

"Thank you for doing all this." I said and gestured toward the pizza, candles and spotless kitchen.

Jake smiled at me. "It's nothing." He shrugged.

My smile lessened. "It's not nothing. It's everything. I can never, ever thank you enough." I didn't know how to even describe the amount of gratitude I felt. Jake just brushed it off and winked at me. We sat there drinking wine and eating pizza. Neither of us really knowing what to say but sitting in the kind of easy silence that only comes when you are totally comfortable with the other person.

When we finished our meal Jake helped me clear the dishes and put away the pizza. We walked to the living room and snuggled up on the couch. I discarded the towel into the laundry room my hair only slightly damp. I turned on the TV and flipped it on to watch Comedy Central. Definitely in the mood for something light. He was laying on his side cradling my body with his. I barely watched what was on. He took his fingers a ran them lightly over my arm and neck. I hummed with pleasure when I would feel his lips press against my head. It was a moment I never wanted to end. The feeling of comfort and affection making my heart light.

I would smile whenever I felt his body shake with laughter. I turned so that I was on my back and my head rested on his arm. He looked down at me and gave me a boyish smile. I smiled back and looked into his eyes. I noticed the mood between us shift and saw his expression change to one of sweet admiration. I lifted my hand and cupped his cheek with my hand and ran my thumb lightly back and forth. I stared for a moment at the fullness of his lips and then looked into his eyes.

He lowered his mouth slowly till it caressed mine. The electricity of it overwhelmed my senses. I leaned up into the kiss and took his bottom lip between mine and sucked gently. I heard him groan softly. My hand went from his face to his neck and pulled him down closer to me. I felt him slightly open his mouth and I eagerly received his tongue as it swirled against mine. The feeling of finally kissing him causing a reaction in my body I had never felt before. I wanted more. I ran my hands around his back and then back to his chest and then sliding them down his stomach. He took his free hand and ran it down my side and back up to my neck. I arched my body into his and felt his arousal pressing into my hip. His hand cupped my face and kissed me with more intensity as I pressed my hip into his erection. He moaned lightly and I felt his hand gently glide over my shirt and across my breast causing me to gasp lightly.

I took my hands and started to unbutton his shirt. I got to the last button and he pulled it off wearing only a white tank. Then lowered his mouth back to mine. I felt my way across his muscular chest and then down to his stomach. My body craving to touch his skin. I arched my hips into his as our kissing became more feverish. My hand touched the bottom of his tank and I started to pull it up when I heard a strange sound and then felt something buzz against my leg. Jake groaned and pulled his cell out of his pants pocket.

"This better be good." he said scathingly and slightly out of breath.

Jake sat up and I saw a serious expression on his face. "What else did they say?" he questioned.

"I'll be right there." He closed his phone and flexed his jaw in irritation. "Someone called in with a lead." He explained. "I have to check up on it." My heart sank. Not just because they interrupted the best make out session I have ever had, but because I did not want to be alone.

Jake looked at my face and understood. "Come with me. You can pick up your dads computer." I smiled at him with relief. I loved how well he knew me even if we had been apart for so long.

"Just let me throw on some real clothes." he nodded and smiled. I stood up and he grabbed my hand. I looked down at him and he pressed his face into my belly and I ran my fingers through his hair. He turned his head up to look at me, his eyes making my heart do flip flops. I leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips, lingering there for a moment. I pulled back slightly, smiled at him, then headed upstairs to change.


	17. Attention

**AN: It's good to be back! Thank you sooooo much for your awesome comments/reviews/Alerts/Fave's. I'm excited to be writing on the regular again. A special thanks to Jharv241 for pointing out a little goof I made in the last chapter. It has been corrected and I appreciate the heads up. Also, if you didn't know this already the wonderful, outstanding, and beautiful TheUnderStudy beta's my work and she's utterly fabulous. This story is up over at Jacob Black n Pack along with the story banner and award. If you get over there let me know how you like it, if your over 18 I can send you an invite if you don't have one. Just PM me w/your email. Ok I know I babble on and on while your waiting to get into the story…**

_The world is a vampire, _

_sent to drain_

_Secret destroyers, _

_hold you up to the flames_

_And what do I get, _

_for my pain_

_Betrayed desires, _

_and a piece of the game._

_Bullet With Butterfly Wings - Smashing Pumpkins _

**Jacob**

I watched Bella go up the stairs and then I walked out to my car to get it warmed up. It was that time of year when it's warm and muggy during the day, but the night air had ice in it. I walked quickly to my car as the rain was coming down pretty heavy. I sat inside and started the engine and cranked up the heat so the car would be warm for her and waited for Bella. Every move I made the past week was for her it seemed.

I didn't realize when I came out here what I was going to get myself into. If you would have asked me last week if it was at all possible I would be kissing Isabella Swan by the end of this week, I would have laughed out loud and then probably punched you for hurting me like that. So that's why my head is not fully wrapped around what just went on in that living room.

It was sort of a surreal moment for me when I kissed her. It was as though it wasn't really happening and then all of a sudden it was all happening quickly. As much as I was enjoying myself, I was actually glad to have a break. I mean, it's something I had been thinking about doing since I met the girl, but I want it to mean something to her. I don't want to be _the rebound _guy. I want to be _the_ guy. I sat in my car thinking of ways to go about telling her that maybe we should take it slower. I had too much going on to focus on a relationship anyway. I have to find Charlie's killer. I have to. It's not an option to let this case to run cold. Hopefully Tyler was right and this is a lead worth checking into. I glanced at the clock. It was nearly midnight. The fact that I haven't had much sleep for days does nothing for my rational thought process, I thought for sure I would have gotten at least five hours of sleep tonight but being so close to Bella. Feeling her respond the way I have always wanted her to…

I shook the thought from my head. I can't do this right now. I have to focus on the case. I turned the radio on and the song "Turn The Page" by Bob Segar came on, but it was the Metallica version. I lowered the volume and listened to it play softly in the background. I saw the front door open and watched Bella walk out. She was in an oversized white sweatshirt and faded blue jeans, with black sneakers. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She looked warm and soft. I wanted to snuggle her. She walked quickly to get into the car. When she got in I could smell the scent of laundry detergent and baby lotion. She smelled as soft as she looked. I smiled over at her and she smiled back then we started toward the station.

"Thanks for bringing me along Jake." She said looking down into her hands.

"It's no problem." I saw a trace of discomfort on her face. "You okay?" She kept her head down and said she was fine. I had my doubts.

"Something you want to talk about?"

She took a breath and paused for a second. "Edward said I needed to ask you about a woman? He was saying something about you told me about a woman and it drove me away from him, but he was so drunk I didn't know what he was trying to say."

I glanced at the scab on my knuckles. The memory of my trip to Port Angeles flashed through my mind. I squeezed the steering wheel not knowing what to say. On one hand, I knew that telling her would put a permanent wedge between her and Cullen but I didn't want her to be hurt. She needed, or rather, deserved to know.

"Jacob?" Bella's voice sounded a little more severe. "What was he talking about?"

I grumbled out curse.

"When I first arrived, after I first came to Angela's to talk to you, I had to drive to P.A. to give a IT tech your dads computer. On my way back to Forks that afternoon I went to a coffee shop. I saw Edward with a _client._" I said quietly.

I could barely make out her face in the dark to see her reaction but I could tell she didn't understand why that would matter.

"Okay, so what's the big deal?" She asked finally.

"She seemed like a little more than a _typical_ customer. He was, uh, flirting pretty heavily with her and it seemed like…more." I said wishing I could punch the dude in the face again.

It was as though I could feel her mind swirling in thoughts. I stayed quiet not knowing quite what to say. We rounded the corner toward the station and I looked over at her and saw her knee bouncing up and down. She was angry.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she said I heard her voice filled with hurt.

"Your dad… I was going to tell you, but I was waiting for the right time." I explained as I parked the car in the front of the station. She nodded her head as if she understood but in the dim lighting I could see tears in her eyes. I felt like a scum bag and I didn't even do anything. If I had never hated Edward before, then I did now. I gritted my teeth and felt my hands ball into fists. Bella looked back down to her lap. I saw a tear fall on the sleeve of her sweat shirt.

I reached over to pull her to my chest. She leaned into me softly and I heard her sniff.

"I'm okay. Really." She said pulling away from me, wiping the tears from her face. I reached over to the glove box and pulled out an unused fast food napkin and handed it to her. She wiped her face and blew her nose then I saw her ball her delicate hands into two tight fists just like mine were a few seconds ago. I smiled at her sympathetically.

"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?" I asked her softly. She shook her head no quickly and I saw a flash of anger back into her eyes. I pulled my keys out of the ignition and tossed my head in the direction of the door. She didn't smile, but she nodded and then opened her door. We walked together toward the station and she took my arm and pulled it around her for warmth.

When we walked inside we were greeted by Tyler who seemed eager to talk to me. I held my finger up for him to hang on and he gave me a nod. I showed Bella to my desk clearing away the files that were on it and double checking to make sure she wouldn't come across any of the graphic files. I pulled up a chair and set Charlie's computer up for her to look through. She glanced at me briefly and when I was sure she was okay I walked over to Tyler to get the information.

I walked up behind him and I could see he was on the telephone. I decided to hang back and let him finish the conversation. I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, but I did over hear him speaking harshly into the phone to the person on the line. Whoever he was talking to had said something to set him off.

"Just back off. You hear me? I'm not playing games with you. It's over and done with." he snapped and hung up the phone. I cleared my throat to get his attention. He jumped and spun around looking sheepish.

"You caught that huh?" he said embarrassedly.

"Yeah, just the end of it." I said awkwardly.

Tyler took a deep breath and blew it out saying "Females…" I thought of Tanya and nodded my head and raised my eyebrows in a "I get ya." fashion. I had heard of Tyler and his reputation as the heart breaker when I was in high school. Girls loved him. I just hope that reputation doesn't extend to Angela. She was just too good of a person to be hurt by a guy like Tyler.

"So what's the big news that's got me back here at this hour?" I asked to switch to a more important subject.

"We had an anonymous call come into the tip line. You know it's so boring around here most the time that if the tip line rings it's like throwing a party. Anyway, some guy with a weird Britishy type voice said that Cullen Distributions is trafficking drugs through their distribution centers."

"And you think that the drugs have something to do with Charlie's death?" I asked not following why it would make him call me out here when that's a case for DEA, not Homicide.

"I think there's a good chance that the killer is a drug dealer. Maybe Charlie caught him in the act." I ran through the possibility but discounted it quickly.

"That wouldn't explain the chloroform. The chloroform indicates it was premeditated. They would have to have a motive. They had to have a specific reason why they wanted Charlie gone. I am going to check into it. Whatever information I have, I will send to the DEA, but it's not much to go on for Charlie's case. I'll question Carlisle more tomorrow." I responded. Just then Sam came out of his office looking determined.

"I'll check into the drug case Jacob." He said with a stern edge to his voice. I was taken a little aback.

"I wasn't trying to step on any toes Sam. I just figured if I go question Carlisle maybe I can figure out who works for him and question them. Someone has to know something. This town is small." I replied.

"Leave Carlisle to me. I will get whatever information I can out of him and demand a list of his employees." Sam said sounding resolved. His tone left me uneasy. Our eyes locked for a few tense seconds. I couldn't figure out what got into him, or why he was here at midnight if Emily was as sick as he said.

"Fine Sam. You're the chief." I responded. Tyler looked uneasy standing between us and Sam told him to go next door to the jail and see if Officer Braddock needed any help with the inmates. Tyler gave a sideways glance at Sam and walked out in a huff. I looked at Sam like he was an alien.

"What is wrong Sam? You okay?" I asked knowing this isn't Sam's usual attitude. He shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the floor.

"I'm fine. Just a lot of stress and…I'm fine." he said and looked up with a stone face. I started to wonder what Sam was hiding when I heard a tinkle of laughter coming from behind me. Bella was in a fit of giggles. Sam and I both looked over at her and saw her clap her hand over her mouth in amusement. We both looked at each other with confusion and walked over to see what was so funny. She was looking at the pictures on the computer that the IT tech had pulled up from the hidden files. The picture she was particularly laughing at was of my dad next to the lake pulling in a fish.

"What's so funny Bells?" I asked. She laughed and flipped to the next picture and pointed my dad was fussing with the line and had a look of pure irritation on his face. I looked at her and smiled. I had seen these already. They were the pics Charlie took of my dad fishing. I had to admit it was pretty comical, the look on my dad's face. I'll never understand why they were hidden. It seemed strange to hide boring ol' fishing pictures. I gave a little laugh and turned to see Sam laughing a little as well, and he turned and walked away.

"Cute dog." Sam mentioned as he retreated. I looked down at Bella whose face was lightened by the laughter. Then my mind registered what Sam said at the same time Bella asked me a question.

"When did your dad get Pita anyway? I don't remember seeing him the last time I was there."

My mind started turning over furiously. I turned the computer screen to get a better look and sure enough, there was a little dog eating my dad's bait. He was the cause of his irritation. Pita was barely in the picture, just at the corner and he was black and slightly smaller than the tackle box he was raiding. I must have been so focused on finding something obvious that I didn't even see the dog that, as far as I knew, was not a part of my dad's life until I brought him here this week. These pictures were taken after Charlie's death.

Bella looked at me questioningly when she saw my face change. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell and dialed my dad's number. It rang three times before I heard the other end pick up.

"Hello?" I heard my dad answered sleepily.

"Dad, it's Jake. I have a question. When did you meet Pita?" I could hear my dad shuffling around.

"Is this a joke?" My dad asked grumpily.

"Dad, no it is not a joke. I know it's late, I'm really sorry for having to wake you but this is important." I answered.

"I never saw the dog before you brought it here." He replied sounding half sleep.

"Did you go fishing this week?" I prodded.

"Yeah, the other day we had sun, uh, was it the day before yesterday Tuesday? The mutt needed some fresh air." He said with a sarcastic tone. My heart thumped a little harder in my chest.

"Okay thanks dad. I'll explain to you later. Goodnight, love you." I responded.

"Love you too son, goodnight." I heard him hang up the phone and I turned to face Bella who was standing behind me with her arms folded across her chest and looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

"My dad didn't get the dog until I came here this week. I found him at the convenience store the first day I was here working. Someone planted these pictures."


	18. Control

**AN: Thanks soooo friggin much for your reviews/alerts/faves. I love each and every one of them and you for reading this little story. This chp is the longest yet…. There are some details in here that sorta help later on. I don't have a whole lot to say except thanks for your patience, my RL has been a time suck but I will try to get 19 out ASAP. OH LEMON! LEMON WARNING… If your opposed to that sort of thing then you can read it up til the last 7 paragraphs….. That said Imma shut up right now and let you all enjoy! Bon Apatite. Xoxo**

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?_

_Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb_

_Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home…_

_Bring Me To Life - Evanescence_

**Jacob**

I walked into Sam's office to let him know what was going on. I still had my doubts on where Sam stood in all of this. He hasn't been himself since I arrived. I'm not sure why that is, it could be stress or worry, I guess. Sam was putting away a file in the filing cabinet when I walked in. He looked back at me with surprise.

"Hey, Jacob. Look, I'm sorry about earlier, the Carlisle thing is just..." He stopped to compose himself then continued. "It's a matter of this department not homicide. You know if anything links to Charlie I would tell you right away."

I looked him in the eye for a few seconds trying to decipher his earlier abruptness from the calm guy in front of me, and questioning everything he said to me. I wondered if he _would_ tell me. It seemed as if he was trying to stop me. I didn't want to make him think I was suspicious so I tried to play it cool.

"Yeah, I know Sam. It's fine. That's not why I'm in here. Those pictures on Charlie's computer were planted. I found that dog the day I came to work on this case. My dad had never seen him before. I have to go to P.A. and question the tech Aro Volturi to see what he knows."

Sam's calm switched back to irritation. "I'll go with you. You may need help…" I cut Sam off.

"You need to question Carlisle Cullen as soon as possible. If there is a tie in between him and Charlie's death we need to figure it out." I stated feeling bad because I was stepping over the boundaries of friendship and work. I took it down a notch. "I can take Tyler with me. He can be my back up. You should to get to the bottom of the Cullen thing." I finished. I was feeling a bit of anger towards my old friend. I had the impression he was trying to oversee everything I was doing, as if _I_ was the one who couldn't be trusted.

I could tell by the look on his face he was contemplating something. He frustratedly ran his hand through his hair and agreed to let Tyler come with me. He called Tyler back over to the station to meet me. I began to thank Sam, but saw him sit down at his desk rubbing his temples with an angry look on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you Sam?" I demanded.

Sam's eyes met mine briefly before he looked away. "Just get to work Detective Black." He said sharply.

My temper started to flare and before I said something I might regret I stormed out of the office and went to the desk where Bella was sitting. I went to the drawer where I had locked away the files. I opened up the report on Charlie once again, trying to see if there was anything else I had stupidly overlooked. I was getting frustrated with myself. I never overlooked details and never allowed personal life to interfere with my work life. The fact that this particular case intertwines both those aspects had made me lose some of my focus. I made a conscious decision to focus on work. As I looked at every file I still didn't see anything of significance.

The report came in at 9:43am about the reported crash. The message was left anonymously. Sam was with officer Riley Braddock they were first on the scene followed by Tyler who followed the ambulance to the hospital. They investigated the scene where the tire tracks abruptly swerved off into the ditch and run into a tree. Suspicions were aroused when the front of the cars damage wasn't consistent with Charlie's injuries. I read through and through the files. Nothing new, I had most of it memorized by now. I felt a gentle tug on my shirt and I turned to see Bella looking at me curiously.

"So what happened with Sam?"

"He's not acting right." I said lowly. I tried to hide the nagging feeling in my head where there was a huge red flag. I refuse to believe Sam had anything to do with Charlie's murder. It wasn't possible.

"How? Could it be he is just upset about Emily?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know Bells. There is no reason for him to even be here this late. If it was me in his position and I cared about my wife like he says he does, I would be at home with you… know… my wife." I took in a sharp breath and held it hoping she hadn't caught that slip. She looked at me and I thought her expression was pretty amused though she didn't let on if she had caught it. I smiled a tense smile. Dammit. So much for focus.

Tyler walked up and saved me from any further embarrassment. I let him in on what we found out and told him that I was driving to Port Angeles tonight and grabbing a hotel room. I asked him if he wanted to drive his own car and meet me there in the morning or if he wanted to go with. He said he'd rather drive with me tonight and that settled our plans. Or so I thought. When I grabbed my things I turned and saw Bella with an anxious look on her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" After I asked I realized that the reason she was with me now was because she didn't feel comfortable being alone after the incident with Edward. Before she could even answer I asked if she wanted to join us on our short trip and she answered me with a relieved smile and a nod. I pulled her to my chest and held her there. She felt so warm and smelled so good I could hardly keep my body's reaction to her at bay. I felt her press her body even closer and I grazed my lips on the top of her head. She looked up at me and stared at my mouth.

I broke the trance we were under by taking her hand and walking her out to the car. Tyler was walking out to his car as well and said he would meet us at Charlie's house. He was going to run home and grab some things. I looked at my watch. It was a little after one and I knew we wouldn't be getting to Port Angeles till two thirty or three. My head felt fuzzy and tired. I wanted to sleep. I drove Bella back to Charlie's and walked into the house first to ensure it was empty. I told her when all was clear and sat on the couch and waited for her to grab her things. I always had a duffel in my car filled with extra clothes and all that bathroom junk. I sat and waited a few minutes then heard the soft patter of her feet going down the stairs. She sat her bag next to the door and then walked over to where I was sitting. I looked at her and she had a sly smile on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking." She said and bit her bottom lip. My eyes were locked on her mouth as she slowly let her lip back out and then slid her tongue over it. I forced my eyes to focus on her eyes and I saw that amused glint in her eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

"That I've got a lot of catching up to do." She said and ran her hands over my shoulders, up the back of my neck and then when reaching my hair she pulled me up into a kiss.

Her lips were warm and minty. I smiled to myself and returned her kiss by softly caressing her mouth with mine. She parted her lips ever so slightly and I felt her velvet tongue run across my bottom lip. Every nerve ending in that area sparked and I grabbed her by the back of her thighs and lifted her up. She folded her legs around my waist and I sat back down on the couch. I could feel the heat from her pressing against my erection, the sensation made me throb with want. Every movement she made, every moan, made me crave her more. She ran her hands across my back and broke our kiss to run her mouth down my neck. I ground my hips upward and heard her gasp in pleasure. The heat was building and she pulled back slightly, gave me a lusty look, then went back to kissing me and shifted her hips to create friction against me. We both moaned quietly in response. I took my hand and ran them under her sweatshirt, my hands ran lightly across her back and then up the front of her.

This was a moment that I had imagined a million times as a teen. My hand was about to touch Bella's breast. I heard somewhere in my head a victory horn as I cupped her breast. She was wearing a thin fabric bra and I slid it up and ran my thumb lightly over her nipple and felt it tighten in response. I heard her let out a soft gasp. She rocked a little harder against me and I grunted in response. She took her hands and started to undo a button on top of my shirt when we heard a knock on the door.

Tyler.

Right.

Port Angeles.

Focus Jacob.

I had forgotten about this and apparently everything else around me. She pulled away looking flushed and I smiled. I made her that way. Her cheeks were red for me, her lips swollen from my kisses. Her eyes looking with desire at me. I felt like the luckiest bastard in the world. She slid off to the side and I stood up and, turning my back on Bella, adjusted myself so that Tyler wouldn't see the monster wood I was sporting. I opened the door and pulled the keys out of my pocket and asked Bells if she was ready. She looked a little dismayed but said yeah and I picked up her bag and walked out into the, much needed, cold air and put her bag in the trunk of my car. Tyler hopped in the back giving Bella shotgun. He stated that it just wasn't gentlemanly to make a woman sit in the back. My guess was that he was going to take a nap on the way up there.

Before heading out of the town's city limits, I stopped off at the convenience store to grab a coffee and asked Bella what she wanted. She smiled at me. "Fun Dip and a Coke." I gave her a boyish grin and looked at Tyler who opened the back door and hopped out. I winked at Bella and went inside to get the requested items.

**Bella**

Who would have ever thought I was such a horn dog? I laughed at myself. Something changed inside me when Jake told me of Edward. It isn't that what he said was proof that he actually cheated. I cried because at first it hurt, because Edward had me so fooled. I knew, even though I denied it for months, that more had to have been going on. Our sex life was nonexistent. It is never fun to find out what an idiot you have been, but at the same exact time I felt so much freedom. Freedom from guilt. I was able to do what I wanted now with no guilt over hurting Edward.

The first time I kissed Jacob, I was holding back. I felt slightly uneasy. I did enjoy myself, but felt hindered by something. After hearing even a slight confirmation of what I had secretly feared about Edward, I felt such a sense of relief. I felt free to follow my heart. Without giving consequence to whom I might have hurt in the process. I watched as Jacob and Tyler bought the food and drink. I watched them both exit the store and they had shared some joke. It dawned on me how incredibly lucky I was to be in the company of two very attractive men. Of course, one has dibs on my heart. I smiled to myself. Jake and Tyler got in and as Tyler shut the door his cell went off. He looked down and smiled a huge smile. I tried not to listen but in such close quarters it was nearly impossible. I knew he was speaking to Angela. Jacob handed me my candy and soda and I tried to keep myself preoccupied with that.

"Hey sexy." he said in a hushed voice.

"Yeah I am actually with Jacob and Bella. We have to be in Port Angeles by 9 am tomorrow so we are grabbing a room at the lodge."

"Yeah Bella is here. You wanna talk to her?" Tyler looked up at me and handed me the phone.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey Bells. I just got home from work and I heard your voicemail. I had to cover half a shift for one of the other nurses here so I got home late. What's up?"

"Oh, yeah, well I was just making sure you were okay." I said and stole a quick glance at Jacob who wore a somewhat tense look on his face.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Angela asked.

"It's nothing. I just had a weird conversation with Edward." I said and then looked back at Tyler who had a curious expression on his face. "He mentioned that you and I needed to be careful. He was drunk. Probably just got out of the bar or something. He hardly made any sense." I said quickly. I didn't want to worry her, he was probably talking out of his ass anyway.

There was a pause "Hmm, that's weird but… You don't think there's anything to it right?"

"No, nothing." I replied.

"Something weird did happen tonight. An orderly at the hospital saw someone by my car, they were in black clothing. When I went out to my car to go home I saw there was a HUGE scratch all along side of the driver's side. They said they saw the person right around the time that huge thunderstorm hit. They only saw them because of the lightning."

My pulse kicked up a notch. I looked worriedly at Jacob and relayed the message to him. Tyler was not privy to what Edward had done earlier in the evening, but just hearing that someone vandalized Angela's car had him heated.

"Ask her if she's working tomorrow." Jake asked. I asked her and Angela said she had the day off. Tyler was freaking out in the back wanting to know what was going on. I held my finger up at him.

"Wanna make a trip to Port Angeles with us?" There was another pause.

"Uh, sure." She said hesitantly. I gave Jacob the thumbs up and he turned the car around quickly and headed towards Angela's.

"Pack your stuff. We'll be there in ten minutes." I told her then handed the phone back to Tyler who said hello about three times before realizing she had hung up.

"What was that about?" Tyler asked. Jacob filled him in on the entire events of the night.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Tyler cursed to himself quietly. He shook his head.

"I have a feeling I know what it's about. It's just a hunch but, if Edward was drunk he was probably at a bar that one of…. Well, someone I use to see a lot of, goes to frequently."

"Who?" I asked.

Tyler looked all kinds of embarrassed and declined to tell me who it was. He said that it wasn't important, but they were most likely the culprit of Angela's car vandalism and if provoked or possibly turned down by Edward could have made a threat against me. I was, in a way, shocked. He went on about what a crazy this chick was. I was baffled.

"So if she is that awful of a person why be with her?" I asked exasperatedly.

Tyler rolled his eyes and shook his head. Jacob laughed. I was confused.

"She was good in bed." Tyler confessed quietly. I made a gagging face. I'll never understand men! Never.

I tried to remember the latest gossip of who Tyler was with but nothing came to mind. I was working so much I don't recall anyone saying anything about him! I gave him a sideways glance and if the car hadn't been so dark I swear I would have seen him blushing. We pulled up into Angela's driveway and Tyler and Jacob got out and surveyed the damage. Tyler's guilty disbelieving expression was plastered all over his face. She hurried outside and ran to the car. I wondered if he would say anything to Angela about the confession he had just made about his ex lover…

When she was settled in the car Jacob pulled away and she leaned over and gave Tyler a kiss on the lips. I scoffed. Angela looked at me funny and Jacob tried to suppress his laughter. He did a bad job of it. Tyler rubbed his face gave me the stink eye. I rolled mine in response.

"It's going to cost about five hundred to do it right, I think." Tyler told Angela.

"_That _much?" Angela exclaimed.

"I'll pay for it Ang." He said quickly.

"No you don't have to." She said

"Damn straight you will." I muttered at the same time and I folded my arms across my chest.

Tyler flicked my ear in response.

"OW!" I said and turned to pinch his leg.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He said as he laughed. "Okay you win Bells. You win! Why do females insist on using their nails when they pinch?"

"Because it works." I answered. Jacob was full on laughing by this point. Angela was looking at us as if we were aliens.

"Did I miss something?" She asked eyeing me and Tyler.

"No. Nope. Just joking around, right Bells?" he said and widened his eyes silently pleading with me to let it go. I gave him another snotty look and begrudgingly agreed.

The rest of the car ride was pleasant for the most part. Angela and Tyler fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. I had to admit they were an adorable pair but I really hoped he came clean to her at some point about this psycho stalker chick. When we arrived at the lodge, Jacob woke up Tyler, waking Angela in the process. Tyler and Jake walked in to get our rooms. I started to wonder what the sleeping arrangements would be. Would I be sharing a room with Angela or Jake? No offense to Angela, but I really wanted some room time with Jake. I couldn't contain the blush that spread across my face at this thought. I looked at the clock and saw that it was three am. Angela yawned and I was feeling pretty sleepy myself.

"What was that scuffle about earlier?" She asked her voice all raspy with sleepiness.

I thought long and hard and decided to give Ty the time to come clean with her. "Ask Tyler, he could probably explain it much better than I could." I replied.

She just shrugged and dropped it. One reason I loved her so much. She never pressed for things. I opened the car door and the chill of the air swept in and caused me to shiver. I opened the trunk from the glove box button and grabbed all of our things and placed them inside the lobby. Jacob and Tyler turned around and walked up to me and Angela and then they looked at each other. I looked at Angela who looked like she was about to fall asleep standing up. I glared at Tyler. He gave me a crooked grin and winked. My glare never wavered.

"I'll be good Bella. You put Jake here to bed. He is about to pass out." he said and put his hand on my shoulder and guided me to where Jake was standing. I almost felt the protective need to go with Angela just to keep Tyler from… I dunno, corrupting her? But of course it was Angela's choice and Tyler _will_ tell her everything. Right?

I just grabbed my bag and saw Jake grab his bag and then we headed to the elevator to go up to our room. I watched as Tyler and Angela walked into their room.

When we got inside Jake turned to me and smiled. I saw how bloodshot his eyes were. I smiled softly at him.

"Well, do you want a shower or just want to pass out?" I asked. He smiled. "I'm going to go take a shower first." I nodded and smiled back. He grabbed some things from his bag and walked to the shower.

I opened my bag and smiled at the contents inside. I had brought two very different pajamas, my usual cami and pajama bottoms and a black, very see through lace and hearts chemise. I contemplated the time, and how tired Jake looked. I pulled out my choice and threw it on. The air was nearly frigid in the room and I turned the heat on, then grabbing my cell I plugged it into the outlet and sat it on the nightstand and then crawled into the bed…

I felt something hard pressed into my back. I opened my eyes and had a moment of pure confusion. I felt around to find what it was and remembered instantly where I was the second my hand touch his penis. Before I could register the size of it, I snatched my hand away quickly. I was in a hotel room. With Jake. Who was snoring next to me.

I turned and reached over to light up my cell and aimed it at his face. He looked so angelic when he slept. I looked at the time. It was nearly seven in the morning. The curtains in the room were so thick and dark it looked like midnight. I looked over at his cell and checked his alarm. It was set for eight. I put the cell down and looked over at him. I remembered my grand plans for last night and laughed quietly at myself. I was kind of embarrassed that I had made the choice to wear such provocative clothing. I should have gone for the usual.

I slid slowly out of the bed and then walking around with my dim cell light to guide me, I was trying to find the bag so I could change. The heat must not have worked very well because the air in the room was still cold and I was shivering. Jake was so warm that I hadn't even noticed. I walked to the area I thought my bag was in and couldn't find it. Then I stubbed my toe and fell knocking something I couldn't see over then feeling a cold wetness drip down the front of me and in my hair. I heard Jake move around and heard the click of the lamp. I was laying sprawled out on the floor in a less than attractive pose. Jakes eyes were wide and going from my breasts and then to my thong and then to my face and back down again, and as if he couldn't register what was happening, he shook his head quickly and rubbed his eyes.

I sat up and grabbed my toe that was throbbing and used my legs to cover the parts that were so obviously in his attention.

"I'm sorry to wake you, I, uh… I…" I stuttered and felt my face heating up from embarrassment. I felt my heart pounding. I got up slowly and tried as best as I could to gain whatever composure I could muster and found my bag and hurried into the bathroom to change. Noticing that my cup of melted ice from last night's drink was what was knocked over and had spilt on me. Nice.

I stood in front of the mirror and to my utter horror my left breast was dangling out of the top of the chemise. I looked ridiculous. Oh. My. God. I could never look at him again. Ever. I was mortified. What is he thinking? I felt tears of embarrassment welling up in my eyes. I grabbed the robe that was hanging on the back of the door and wrapped it around me and grabbed my toothbrush to wash the taste of the icky stale candy and Coke out of my mouth. As I brushed, tears fell, and in a moment of clarity, I started to laugh at myself. My mouth had white toothpaste foam all around, my eyes were bloodshot and had tears falling out of them and my face was the color crimson. My hair was ratty and sticky with the melted ice juice all over it. I was quite a sight to be seen. I opened the robe and looked at the entire picture and started to guffaw in laughter. My boob was still dangling and dancing around as I laughed. It was all I could do to catch a breath. I slid down to the ground and was rolling on the floor. I tried my hardest to catch my breath somewhat choking on toothpaste. I finally gained enough composure to stuff my breast back into the top of the chemise and stand up and rinse out my mouth and toothbrush. I started to go through the bag of clothes I had brought inside still chuckling every few seconds when I heard a knock.

"You okay in there?" I heard Jake ask. I laughed.

"Yeah I'm fine." I laughed in response. I tied the robe back around my waist and opened the door. Might as well face it head on. I thought to myself with an embarrassed shake of the head.

What I didn't expect was the greeting I got when I opened the door. In seconds all I could feel was his hot body pressing against me, his mouth taking over mine. His hands in my hair and my hands traveling all over his nearly naked body. It was the first time I had touched his chest without any clothing and my imagination did not do any justice to the feel of his smooth skin and hard muscles. I could hardly keep up with the frantic pace he was keeping. His mouth traveled down my neck and he lightly sucked at the nape sending a shockwave straight to my center. I felt him navigate us back to the bed. His hands fumbled with the robe. He flung it open and his eyes devoured my body, he kissed my neck and shoulders. I ran my hands through his hair and moaned softly as he made his way lower. He pulled the top down and pressed his hot mouth over the top of my taut nipple. I groaned with need. His hand traveled down lower as he licked and sucked on my aroused breasts. I groaned as I felt his fingers expertly weave their way around hitting places I had never known existed before.

I arched my hips and felt him slide a finger inside and he groaned as he did. I reached my own hand down to feel his hardness. He quickly discarded his boxer briefs and I felt the hot silky firmness and slid my hand up and down the length of it. I had not expected the size to be so different from what I was use to. It was almost difficult to fit my hand around the girth of it. I was, for a moment, nervous about what was happening. I hadn't thought about the difference in size. But his mouth soon had me thinking of something else entirely and all my fears subsided. As I stroked him, he moaned, and then pulled away slightly as he trailed kisses down my stomach pulling the robe and chemise all the way off as he did. His mouth wound its way down and I felt his tongue expertly explore that area and I gasped. I couldn't even manage a moan for the feeling left me breathless. I felt a build up and as his fingers pressed in and out of me his tongue flew in circles and I climaxed.

I felt the cool air wash over me bringing relief to the heat. He looked at me with a seductive smile. He took his fingers away from me and planted kisses over my stomach. Every nerve in my body was on alert and heightened every touch. He worked his way back up to my mouth and I ran my hands around his body memorizing every muscle and crevasse of his body. It was more than lustful admiration. For me it was coming home. I couldn't ever explain it in words except to say it felt as though this is where I belonged. With him. This is the way things should have always been. I felt the need to be with him increase as he ran his lips over my body. I looked up into his eyes. They melted me with love and I reached down to place him at my center.

He looked a little confused for a second.

"I'm on birth control." I whispered.

"I haven't ever had sex without a condom. It's safer, for you." he whispered back. He walked quickly to his bag and pulled one out and put it on. In truth, just seeing the size of it from a distance scared me. When he laid down on top of me I started to tremble. I couldn't tell if it were from fear, nerves, or want. He slid between my legs and felt me shaking.

"Are you okay?" he said softly.

"Yes. Please don't stop." I answered heatedly.

I felt him adjust himself against the opening and slowly pressed against me. I felt the entire width of him stretching me, exposing nerves I had never known existed. I cried out when he pushed himself all the way in. At first there was a little pain but it quickly gave way to a pleasure I had never experienced. Each thrust brought me to sweeter and more intense feelings. His moaning, the sound of his voice, knowing I was making him feel good too, caused me nearly to go over the edge. Each movement made me gasp for air, each sound built me up til his mouth went to my breast and I felt his tongue swirling around my nipple. He pushed into me deeper again and again until I climaxed. And with feeling the clenching of myself around him, caused him to as well.

We lay there together hardly moving. Each of us struggling to catch our breath. I ran my hand through his hair and felt him shiver. He looked into my eyes and for a long moment we were lost in each other's gaze. His phone went off telling us it was time for him to go to work. I stared at his face and memorized the redness of his cheeks. He planted soft kisses across my cheeks and nose. I stared up at him in awe. His afterglow looked amazing on him. He leaned down and kissed me deeply and then got up slowly. I felt the cool air rush over my body again and I smiled and curled under the covers and watched him get dressed. I had never felt so satisfied. Ever. This was the best morning of my entire life.


	19. Blurry

**AN: Okay guys. This is the beginning of the end. Only a couple more chapters left. Thanks to all of you who have stuck so faithfully by and read and reviewed. I'm profoundly grateful to you all. To my beautiful beta TheUnderStudy. I'm so proud of you. Your story is off to SUCH a great start. So if you like an Emmett/Bella storyline, check it out! Its called This Changes Things. It is sweet and funny and it leaves me wanting more. Also, I stumbled across a great Jasper/Bella fic. Its called Get Me To You by Chicklette. It's such a unique and wonderfully emotional story only 6 chapters complete but my heart was pounding the whole time. Anyway, I don't usually do rec's very often but damm these two deserve it. So without further ado….**

_Every thing's so blurry_

_And everyone's so fake_

_And everybody's empty_

_And everything is so messed up_

_Preoccupied without you_

_I cannot live at all_

_My whole world surrounds you_

_I stumble then I crawl_

_Blurry - Puddle Of Mudd_

**Jacob**

I got dressed in a hurry. My nerves are jumbled and even though I really enjoyed every moment that just happened, I can't help but be worried about what it all means. What happens next? Does it mean that we are together? A thousand questions ran through my head without answers. All I know is that I cannot lose her again. I wont. I looked at her as I slipped on my shoe. It was already 8:30 and I had to be at the station to question Aro in thirty minutes. I smiled at her. She was just laying back propped against the pillows, her cheeks still slightly flushed. I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.

"I'll call you when we finish." I said and brushed the back of my fingers against her pink cheek.

"Okay." Bella said with a soft smile. She leaned into my touch and closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her mouth. She kissed me back and smiled contentedly. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I was so scared that she was going to slip away again. I shoved the thought from my head and headed out the door and knocked on the door to Angela and Tyler's room. Tyler stepped out after a few moments. His face was tense. I'm guessing their morning hadn't started out as well as ours.

"Ready?" I asked. He gave me a curt nod yes and walked past me.

"Everything okay?" I asked slowly.

"No. No. Cuz I think I might have fucked up the best thing that ever happened to me." Tyler said in irritation and pushed the doors open with a little more force then what was probably required.

I didn't quite know what to say to him so I stayed silent. I walked to my car and he got inside. I could feel his irritation radiating off of him.

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked after pulling away from the hotel. The last thing I needed was a hot headed cop trying to take his frustration out on the person we're questioning.

"Nah, it's just I came clean to Angela about the chick I was seeing before her. She just so angry and she'smad about her car, mad that I would even go… _there _with someone like her." He explained. Then with a defeated sigh he said "I just want things to go smoothly with her ya know? I really feel something with Angela. I don't want it to get messed up over a stupid decision. Actually, I'm kinda mad at myself for it."

I nodded my head in understanding. He looked less irritated and more bummed at this point. I felt for the guy.

"Well, she seems like a cool chick, I'm sure whatever or whoever happened, she'll be cool with it. Just give her time. It didn't happen while you were getting with her did it?"

Tyler shook his head. "No, but Angela is a good person ya know? She doesn't think to highly of adultery or people who help other people commit it."

"So you had an affair with a married chick?"

Tyler just groaned and mumbled yes. He ran his hand through his hair and looked plain miserable. I didn't know how to respond except to say. "Well, that was stupid."

"Yeah, I know." He said simply. I decided to drop it. I wasn't a psychologist and wasn't about to try and be one. We pulled into the front of the station and I gave him the run down of what I was going to ask Aro. I let him know that he was mainly there to ensure things would remain peaceful and to keep his eyes on him. Make him feel like we know more than we were letting on. Tyler seemed to absorb all that I was saying and said he understood what we were about to do. We got out of the car and walked inside the station…

**Bella**

I was in the shower listening to the Linkin Park channel on Pandora. It was playing a great song by Breaking Benjamin when it was rudely interrupted by a phone call. I wiped the water from my face and reached out to get the phone and see who it was.

Alice.

I pressed ignore and finished my shower. I was in such a good mood. She might bring up Edward and well… I just don't need to think about him right now. I was in the middle of pulling on my jeans and my phone rang again.

Alice.

I sat and thought about the probability of her actually stopping with the phone calls and then thought it might have something to do with work and I begrudgingly answered.

"Hello?" I chirped. God, I never knew how great sex could just make your day terrific.

"Bella?" Then my good mood shifted to pure irritation.

"Why are you calling me? Leave me the hell alone Edward!" I snapped. I was tempted to just hang up.

"Wait Bella! It's important! It's IMPORTANT!" I heard him yell.

"Sure, right. Important huh? Like it was important last night to come and scare the shit out of me?"

"Bella, look, okay I was a dick… Just listen to me. Something… Look… I have to ask you something and it… It might have something to do with Charlie. Okay don't hang up just hear me out." Edward said.

"You are a sick fuck Edward. Go get some help!" I yelled. The audacity of him trying to find an in with me in this way!

"God Bella listen please." Edward pleaded. "I'm sober. Stone sober. A bit hung over but I'm not lying. Just hear me out okay?" I heard a shuffle and then Alice's voice showed up. "Bells, it might be something worth listening to. Kay?" I grumbled a curse under my breath. "Fine." I heard the phone shuffle again.

"I'm going to ask you a question, I don't want to upset you but how much do you know about how your dad died?" I closed my eyes fighting the anger inside.

"Not a whole lot. I have heard chloroform was used somehow, and he was killed by blunt force." I answered. My stomach turned just saying those words.

"He was hit the head." Edward said more as a confirmation than a question. My inner alarm went off.

"Why? What does that have to do with anything?" I asked.

"Last night, oh and by the way, I'm so sorry about last night. I came to tell you all this last night but got pissed when…." I interrupted him "Get to it Edward…" He started to tell me about the bar he was at and then the phone broke up I couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

"Edward? I can't understand you. Your losing signal." I said.

"Can you hear me now?" I heard him ask. I said yes then he paused.

"Umm are you by Jacob? I should probably tell him all of this." Edward said. The fact he even considered that made me think that what he had to say was far more serious than I had thought.

"He's out questioning someone right now."

"You're alone? Bella, please tell me your with someone. Even if it is Jacob stay close to someone." My heart started to pound. What was going on?

"I'm in Port Angeles. Angela is with me, well, she's next door getting ready. What the hell is going on?" I heard Edward sigh in relief.

"Do you have Jacob's phone number? I should really tell him. I would tell Sam but…" he stopped himself and then asked for Jacobs number again. I gave him Jacobs cell and he thanked me, told me to stay safe and then hung up. My hands started to shake and I called Angela and told her get over to the room as soon as she could…

**Jacob**

"Detective Black. What brings you here?"

I held my hand out to shake his and I introduced Tyler. Aro nodded at him in acknowledgment and had a quizzical expression on his face.

"There was a problem with a few of the things we found on Chief Swan's computer. I need to ask you a few questions to clear some things up."

He kept his expression calm but I watched his eyes dilate.

"Of course, ask way." Aro said calmly.

"Had the computer been in anyone else's possession from the time you got it to when it was returned to me?"

"Not to my knowledge. Of course it was in the evidence room locked away until I could work on it. As far as I know I was the only one who had their hands on it here. What was the problem?"

"The files you found were a bunch of JPEG's correct? They were in a hidden file?"

"Yes."

"One thing that bothered me is that they were all photos of Charlie and his friends fishing. Some of them were just holiday photos but nothing that would be worth _hiding_."

His eyes shifted to the ground. He was looking for an answer.

"I don't know why anyone would hide those kinds of photo's. It's always possible that they were hidden accidentally. Some people are not computer savvy and don't realize what they are doing… Could have been an honest mistake." Aro said nonchalantly.

"Hmm. Yeah I guess that would answer that. But what I really need to know is how pictures got on there from after Chief Swan's murder."

Aro swallowed involuntarily. "I don't know what you mean."

"After inspecting the photos I realized the last dozen had been taken after I came to town. I came to town to investigate his murder so there wouldn't be any way for Charlie to have put those on his computer himself. They had to have been placed there after his murder, and after I had already taken the computer here."

The color drained from his face. His lips were suddenly dry as he licked them repeatedly.

"I don't know how that could have happened. I'm sure there was some mistake…" He said quickly and started to edge toward the door. Tyler took a step sideways to block the door and folded his arms. He looked pretty threatening.

"Internal affairs will love this." I said archly.

"Do you have something here to charge me with detective because if you do, get on with it."

My cell started to buzz in my pocket but I had to ignore it. "Yes, tampering with evidence, accessory to murder after the fact... IA will be here soon to charge you, of course if you tell me why you changed those photo's I'm sure some deal could be made, but that of course would be up to the prosecutors office."

We went back and forth for about an hour. I finally broke him into telling me that his brother Caius Volturi had asked him to do it. He said he didn't know anything more than that. I tended to believe him, if he would give up his own brother then he most likely didn't have much else to say. Internal Affairs came in and read him his charges and took him away. It left me with a lead on Caius. Tyler looked pumped. I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to dive into some detective work from now on.

We squared everything away at the PAPD and shipping the computer to the Seattle station to be investigated further, when my cell buzzed again I let it go to voicemail one more time. It had buzzed about 4 times during the rest of the interrogation. I pulled it out and saw it was a number I had not recognized and one was Bella's cell.

I decided to return Bella's call first… She wouldn't have called unless it was important. She knew what I was doing.

It rang twice when she picked up.

"Jake!" She said sounding relieved and frightened.

"What's wrong?"

"Have you talked to Edward yet?" My curiosity spiked at that point and I asked her why she would think I would talk to him. She explained her phone call with him and it's affect on her. I told her to stay where she was and that I would call him as soon as we hung up. She seemed eager to find out what information he had to give. I wondered if it was all a ploy. We hung up and Tyler had a curious expression on his face, I filled him in and then made the call.

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Jacob. May I speak with Edward please." I said using my politest voice manageable. It pained me to be nice to this guy.

"This is him."

"Apparently you have some information you think is important."

"Yes, well, obviously it is important or I wouldn't be talking to you." he paused and went on as if it caused hi pain to be talking to me. I'm sure it did. Which is why it was even more intriguing to hear what he had to say. "As you probably know, I was at a bar last night and was approached by Lauren Mallory - Newton. Mike Newton's wife. She was pretty tossed already and started to hit on me. It seemed every time I turned down her advances she would become more and more irritated. She said some pretty ugly things about Bella."

"Okay she was never on Bella's best friend list so why would this interest me?" I asked.

"Yeah, well after a few more drinks I was hardly able to understand what she was even saying and she was throwing herself at me pretty heavily. When I made it clear I did not want her, and reminded her of her vows, she started mumbling something about Bella's head getting bashed in just like her daddies. It was quite a shock to me because all that I had heard was that Charlie's car had been run off the road and he was killed in a car crash, that the murder aspect was because he was intentionally run off the road, but when I talked to Bella she seemed to think her dad's had been drugged and then killed."

"Well yes, we wanted to keep what we knew quiet. There would be no way for her to know that unless…" My mind was sorting through a thousand scenarios… Which brought me back to Edwards conversation with Bella last night. "So why did you feel Angela was threatened?" I looked at Tyler who was looking at me with interest.

"Oh, well, as if she had flicked a switch she started saying that I wouldn't be worth the trouble, but Tyler on the other hand… Angela would get what's coming to her. It was after that statement I went to Charlie's house to find Bella."

"Wow. Well, I'm glad you called. It is definitely something I am going to have to look into. Thank you Edward." It was like swallowing razors getting those words out.

"Yeah, well… Just… Take care of Bella. She deserves the world." he said with a heaviness to his voice and hung up.

I turned to look at Tyler. He was standing close by and had a look of alarm on his face.

"Did you tell Lauren anything about Charlie's death?"

Tyler's face was full of confusion. "No, not at all. I've been avoiding her like the plague for about a month now. Why?"

"We need to go talk to Lauren." I said sharply. I was actually wondering if Tyler already knew everything. My mind was screaming. I couldn't trust Sam with his odd behavior and now Tyler had been screwing someone with first hand information of Charlie's death. We got in my car and drove to the lodge to pick up the girls and fill them in on what was happening.

When we left the lodge the atmosphere in the car ride back to Forks was much more tense than it had been going to the lodge. Tyler and Angela barely spoke and Angela just stared out the window for most of the trip. I had decided to hold back some of the information from Bella. I wanted to get all the facts straight before diving into the details. I had only told her about Aro's arrest and the lead on Caius. As far as she knows Edward had just thwarted Laurens advances and spooked him about coming after her. I just didn't want her to be more uneasy than she already was. I made her promise not to worry about too much when I pulled up to Charlie's house and let her and Angela out.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked her cautiously. She looked tired and withdrawn.

She nodded her head and looked up at me and smiled.

"I'm fine. I just have to deal with these nerves but I'm fine." She reassured me and then wrapped her arms around my neck. She buried her head in the crook of my neck and just lingered there for a few moments. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed.

We broke the embrace and I gave her a kiss and left her. She was fine, safe, when I left her…


	20. Revealed

**AN: Man, I do not have the words… Okay... we all know that's a lie… Thanks to everyone who has kept up with/reviewed/alerted/fave'd or rec'd this story. You all make doing this worth it. There will be a chapter 21 and 22 and then there will be an epi, so you will know exactly where everyone stands. Thanks for sticking this out and reading. WOLF PACK GIRLS… JJ Twi1ight has a story called Jacob's NM… Its pretty damn good. Only 8 chapters in but I have faith it will be excellent. She even quotes the book so it flows really nicely. Give it a shot. :o) OK yeah… I know… Talk to ya next chapter….**

_Lived by the rules that you gave me and fell apart_

_All the wrong turns down a dead end street so far_

_I stretched my wings and breathe in a different day_

_Alone and broke is the price I pay_

_Good Day To Die - Godsmack_

**Bella**

I stood in the driveway looking at Jacobs car driving off down the road. My mouth curved into a smile as I remembered his kiss. I was nervous and confused as to where this was all going and what our future was going to hold but at the same time knew for certain that it was going to be me and him together.

"Earth to Bella.." Angela said softly. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Angela. She was smiling softly, but it didn't reach her eyes. I could tell something was wrong.

"What's wrong Ang?"

She dropped her head a little and then looked up at me in frustration.

"I really like Tyler. I do but… How do I get past the Lauren thing? I mean, first of all she's just awful… She's awful and gross, but secondly, she's married. If he doesn't even respect other people's vows would he even respect his own?"

I arched my eyebrow at her. "His own? You're thinking about marriage with Ty?"

She rolled her eyes, "Not seriously, but I don't just date guys for the hell of it. There has to be something there that tells me it could work. You know? It just bugs me that he could be that careless." She looked off into the distance.

Okay, I was with her on the Lauren thing. She was as loose as a goose in high school, stole Mike Newton from Jessica Stanley, got pregnant by him while he was being scouted by the Seahawks, made him marry her, and then almost divorced him when he got injured and couldn't play anymore. She. Is. Awful.

"I don't think guys think like girls do. Well, most of them. Did you guys really talk about it? I mean, was he serious about her? Was it a one time thing? What happened?" I asked.

"He says that it was a one month stand. They hooked up after a night of drinking and he tried to drop it, but she was after him. He ended it a month ago but she's been stalking him since."

"She's bad news, but really, she's nothing more than a drunk. That's only because she is a failure at gold digging. He seems to regret it and seems to like you an awful lot. I've never seen him act the way he acts with you. Don't let his past get in the way of a good future."

"I guess." She whispered.

I shook my head and looked up towards the sky. The clouds were high, and there was a break in them. It was almost 5 and the sun was headed down. The air was humid but not cold yet. I looked over at Angela.

"Do you want to come in and hang out for a while?" I tilted my head toward the house. She thought for a second and shook her head no.

"I've got to go home and do some laundry. I have a shift tomorrow at 7 am and no scrubs."

"Okay. Put your bags in the back and I'm going to put mine in the house before it rains."

I walked to the front door and heard the house phone ring. I hurriedly opened the front door and put my bags down. I walked quickly to the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bella? It's Mike Newton."

**Jacob**

Tyler was lost in his own thoughts as we drove to Newton's store. I had called there to see if Mike knew where Lauren was. I was pleasantly surprised when Lauren answered saying Mike had something to take care of at the warehouse, and that she was watching the store. It was a perfect chance to get her alone and question her about what she knew.

Tyler's nerves were showing through. He kept biting his thumbnail and his knee was bouncing.

"Ya alright there buddy?" I laughed.

He groaned. "Nah, man. I'm messed up over Angie. I'm going to blow it with her. I might have already. Then going to talk to Lauren. She looks at me weird now. Like I'm prey or something. Gives me the creeps."

I chuckled at him. "Well, maybe she'll be locked up soon. Then you won't have to worry about it. Besides, nothing says 'Get out of my life' like 'You have the right to remain silent' Right?"

Tyler laughed at me. All in all I think Tyler's a good guy. He's good at his job from what I can see. He just made a stupid decision. Happens to the best of us.

I pulled up in front of Newton's Store and parked. I looked over at Tyler.

"You sure you want to be here?" I asked. He looked determined.

"Yeah, let's go."

We got out of the car and walked inside. Lauren was watching a show on the television that was propped up on the counter. She looked up at me with surprise and when she saw Tyler, I saw fire in her eyes. That could be good or bad.

"Hello Lauren." I said pleasantly. She eyed me suspiciously and said hello back her eyes darting between Tyler and I. Tyler stood next to me awkwardly.

"What can I help you with?" She asked after gaining some composure.

"I'm here to talk about the murder of Charlie Swan. I need to ask a few questions." I said lightly as if it were no big deal. She tensed up slightly.

"Okay…" she said and shifted her eyes from me to Tyler and then back to me.

"What were you doing last Sunday morning?" I asked casually. I grabbed a notepad out of my pocket as if it were just a standard thing. I looked up at her with a friendly calm look. I was trying to put her at ease.

"I was at home. With my kids." She said slowly.

"Aww, that's great. How old are your kids?" I asked with a smile. She smiled back.

"They are six and three." She answered. I saw her shoulders slump down a little.

"Boys or girls?" I asked.

"The boy, Scott is six. The girl Jenna is three." She said and you could see a light in her eyes. Almost made me feel bad. Almost.

"Lucky you got one of each huh? I hope I'm lucky enough to have one of each, or… several of each." I said jokingly. She laughed and nodded her agreement.

"It's great. I love them so much. I highly recommend them." She said and laughed. I laughed with her while Tyler remained uncomfortable behind me.

"Sorry about all this. It's just standard stuff I have to do and I had not questioned you yet." She shrugged a little in understanding.

"So you were with the kids the whole morning?"

She looked down. "Yeah mostly. I had to go to the store for a few minutes. Mike had…had to get some stuff out of the warehouse. I came in with the kids and stayed for about an hour or so."

"What time was that?"

She stalled. "I'm not sure."

"Around nine or ten I suppose?" I asked casually. She glanced around looking at Tyler then back to me her shoulders tensed back up.

"Maybe, I don't know. I don't really remember." Her breathing became uneven.

"You don't know what time? You can't recall or you don't know what to say?" I asked a little less friendly.

She looked a little stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Where were you last night?" I asked her changing the subject.

"I was out." She said shortly.

"Can you be more specific?"

"What does this have to do with Charlie?" She asked rudely.

"I'm just trying to gather some facts."

"I don't know what me going out last night has to do with facts of the case." She complained.

"Mrs. Newton. You're not being very co-operative. Is there a reason for that?"

"I just don't see what me going to a bar has to do with why you are here. I mean, Charlie was killed Sunday."

"And your memory of Sunday is very short. What time did you come to the store? What time did Mike leave the store?"

"I don't know. I don't remember okay! It was sometime before noon." She cringed as she said it her eyes filling up with tears.

Tyler spoke up. "Lauren, what's wrong? Why are you hiding things?"

"Oh _noooo! _You can't just come waltzing in here asking me questions Mister Elusive! I've tried calling you, but you don't answer my phone calls. You don't GET anything from me anymore!"

"Lauren, look, if you know something, you need to tell us. If you don't want to tell me then at least tell him. I know you have a good heart."

Laurens eyes fixed on Tyler.

"Then why did you break it? If it was so good then. why?"

"You're a married woman. I have a good heart too and your kids need a mom and dad who have a good marriage."

"My marriage has been shit. It's been shit since…" She trailed off.

"Since Mike broke his knee?" Tyler quipped.

"NO! See, that's what you don't get! MIKE is the one who had a problem with his knee. NOT me! Mike is the one that changed! I loved him!"

"Oh, yeah baby, you have LOTS of love to give." Tyler snorted back.

"Fuck off Tyler!" She screamed.

"Okay, okay! Let's tone it down. Okay? Lauren, I don't know much about you. What I do know is that when you spoke of your children your eyes lit up… Do the right thing for them. They love you and need you. If there is anything at all that you know, you need to tell us. They _need_ you to tell us. If it comes out later on that you withheld information… You could be looking at some serious time."

She broke down. She cried for about five minutes. Her whole body was shaking.

"I'm scared." She said quietly.

"Scared of what? We can protect you." I said softly, I placed my hand gently on top of hers. Her hands were cold and trembling.

"How can you protect me? How? My kids? Can you protect them too?" She said chocking on a sob.

"I will do whatever is in my power to make sure your safe. Just tell us what you know."

"Do you promise?" She looked up at me with pleading eyes.

"Yes. Just tell me what you know. I know you know more because Edward Cullen told me he saw you last night. He told me you said something about Charlie getting beaten to death."

She started sobbing.

"I don't even remember that. I don't remember a lot of things after I drink." She sobbed.

"If you need help we can get that for you. There are treatment facilities in Seattle. Good ones."

She continued to cry for a long time. "Okay." She said after a while. "I'll tell you everything I know, but my kids BETTER be safe. You hear me?" she said sternly making eye contact with me.

"They will." I promised.

"Okay, well, a few years ago after Mike blew his knee and his parents gave him the store, we had been struggling. The store was barely surviving. Our house was in foreclosure, we had no idea what to do…" She stopped to take a deep breath. "So after a few months of job hunting, Carlisle Cullen hired him part time at his distribution center. I guess Mike had told him about our financial difficulty and Carlisle offered him some side work. I was excited he had another job but I didn't know what he was asking him to do. He wanted Mike to deal. Mike was really against it at first, but he was so depressed about everything. He started small, only selling a little weed or whatever. It helped with the bills and then Mike started to use the drugs too. He had never done them before." She started to cry again.

"Now… He is hooked on Coke. He has done heroin… He's mean and nasty. I don't even recognize him anymore." She glared up at Tyler. "I wanted to tell someone, but apparently I wasn't good enough to talk to after…"

"Why didn't you just say anything to me?" Tyler asked, his face pale.

"You didn't care. You were so wrapped up in hiding what we were doing I couldn't trust you."

Tyler stared down at the floor guiltily.

"So what about Charlie? How did that happen?" I asked trying to fit the pieces together.

"Carlisle found out that Charlie had been snooping around the distribution center. All that crap in there…the piggy banks, clocks, radios, TV's? All that crap hides the drugs. They hide them inside of them and they ship it out to other people in other states. Carlisle is running a huge, I mean, HUGE drug cartel. Out of the three distribution centers, he has only one that is legit. It's the small one that Edward works at."

"So Carlisle killed Charlie?" I asked

Lauren shook her head and laughed sarcastically.

"You think that _he_ would get his perfect little manicured hands dirty? No! Apparently he offered Charlie some money to go away but Charlie refused it. Charlie was a small town police chief and didn't have the means to arrest him on the spot. Charlie made it clear he was going to turn the info over to the Fed's."

"Charlie met Carlisle here, at the store, last Sunday morning. That's when he offered him the money. When Charlie left Carlisle told Mike he would give him a million cash if he got rid of him." Lauren broke down after this. My heart started to pump in my ears.

"Why didn't you turn Carlisle in yourself?" I asked softly.

"I didn't find any of this out until after Charlie died. Mike had called me and asked me to come in so I did. He said he had to run an errand for Carlisle. Mike came back to the store covered in blood and he spilled his guts… He was so upset. He was puking. I knew Mike did drugs. The extra money I had thought was from the side jobs was _actually_ from his work dealing. I didn't question it. I should have, the money was much more than I thought it should be, but maybe some part of me didn't want to know. I hate drugs. I told him Monday I was going to leave him and he threatened me and our kids." She said barely breathing for crying so hard.

I definitely felt bad. Tyler felt worse. I saw a vein in his neck popped out and his face was red. He looked a mixture of pain, anger, and embarrassment.

"Where is Mike now? Did you say at the warehouse?" I asked.

"Yeah, he said there was a shipment of tents getting in today."

"Where are your children?"

She started to cry. "They are with my parents, please keep them safe. Please!"

I walked over to Tyler and pulled him aside.

"Take her to the station. I'm bringing in Newton. Keep her safe until you hear word from me. ONLY me. Got it. Send Braddock or Mayland over to her parents' house to stand guard until he is brought in."

I thought of Sam and Emily. Maybe Carlisle was paying Sam off. Sam would do anything for Emily. My blood was boiling, my stomach was in knots, and I wished Carlisle was dead. Praying on the vulnerable is despicable.

I got on the phone and called Sam to let him know where I was headed and why.

"Hello?"

"Sam, it's Jake. I just found out Newton killed Charlie. I'm on my way to arrest him."

"Jacob! Jacob listen to me… You do not want to do that right now. I can't talk now, but believe me. You don't want to do that. I… I can fill you in later, okay, just go to the station and wait for me there."

I shook my head I couldn't believe my ears.

"No. I'm going to pick him up! Sam this is MY JOB. I don't give a shit how little you think of yours but I'm doing _my_ fucking job!" I told him and hung up. It tore me up inside to have to think of Sam like that. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I knew what I had to do. I had to bring Newton in…

**Bella**

"Hey Mike. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing, just the daily grind ya know?"

"Yeah… What can I do for you?"

"Well, I have a big shipment of tents coming in, I think I over ordered and there's a few boxes of stuff here your dad had asked me to order for him, he had already paid for it so I figured maybe you could swing by and pick it up."

"Sure yeah, I have to drop Angela off at home and then I'll swing on by, it's at the store?"

"No, the warehouse."

"Oh okay. I'll see you in a little while then."

"Bye Bella." Mike said and hung up.

I walked out the door locking it behind me and hopped into my truck. I told her about having to pick up the stuff over at the warehouse. I dropped her off and headed down to Newton's warehouse. I had worked at the store when his mom owned it and would have to do runs to pick things up to restock shelves. I knew how small the place was so I knew any extra room was important. I turned down the long dead end road and pulled up to the front of the building. I strong chill came over me and I shivered. I looked around for a draft and couldn't find one. I shrugged off the eerie feeling that suddenly came over me. I opened the door of the truck and walked up to the warehouse door and knocked. I had seen Mike's little pick up in the front, so I knew he had to be in there. I glanced into the window and saw there were no lights on. I opened the door a little.

"Hello?" I called. I stuck my head in and felt a strong tug around my neck. I tried to scream, but couldn't. There was a wire around my neck strangling me. I tried to pull on it, but it was so tight. I tried kicking and turning, but it wasn't possible. I couldn't breathe at all. I could feel the blood rushing in my face, my heart beating in my ears and I started to lose my fight. All that was left was…blackness.


	21. Destruction

**AN: Thanks to all who read/review/alert/fave. So, one chapter left. I couldn't end it here and I think one more chapter is in order. Then epi. The amazing TheUnderStudy is my beta and friend and fan fiction wife. This chapter makes me nervous. Soooo… I'm going to go hide now and won't be returning until the mob settles and puts down the pitchforks and torches. 22 will be posted as soon as I finish polishing it and have it beta'd. Thanks and bye...*turns and runs***

_Forfeit the game before somebody else_

_Takes you out of the frame_

_And puts your name to shame_

_Cover up your face you can't run the race_

_The pace is too fast you just won't last_

_Points Of Authority - Linkin Park_

**Jacob**

I was pissed. I mean, I know Sam is having a hard time right now. I know… okay I KNOW! I would be out of my mind if I were in his shoes. I _know_ this, but to be bribed by Carlisle… I mean, to do something so completely against what he stands for is unthinkable. It just doesn't make sense. If anything, he would know bringing down someone like Carlisle would boost his merit, possible promotions… How could he possibly even entertain the idea? It is almost too unbelievable.

I tried to call Bella and it went straight to voicemail. I thought it was odd and I tried again. Voicemail. If I hadn't been on my way to arrest Mike I would have turned around and checked on her. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach something was wrong.

I pulled my car down the street to the address Lauren gave me. The building was at the end of a dead end street. As I pulled up to the end of the street I saw Bella's truck parked in the lot on the side of the building. The light from the window was the only thing illuminating it. It was pitch black outside. My heart went in to overdrive. I pulled my car around and parked it in the street. I got out ignoring the pounding rain and walked slowly up to the building. My hand resting on my side arm. I had a bad feeling. I walked as quietly as possible. As I snuck up to the front I ducked down near the window. I could see a light was on and I saw a few peoples feet, but the shelves were blocking the faces of the people inside. I counted. I could only see three pairs of feet, but I did not see any that would resemble Bella's shoes.

I started to inch my way to the door and I heard footsteps quickly approaching me. I turned drawing my gun but the person behind me knocked it out of my hand. I wrestled with them for a few minutes noticing how skinny they were, but they had some kind of defense training and man, they were good. Every move I made was blocked, it was frustrating. Finally, I sent a punch straight to their chest causing them to grunt in pain. But it sounded wrong. Very wrong. I tried my best to focus in on the face of the person standing there, but between the darkness and the rain it was impossible. I realized that the person was trying to drag me away, but I was trying to fight my way out of their hold.

"Stop it NOW Jacob. Knock it off, you little fucker! You're going to ruin this!" I heard a soft, feminine voice whisper angrily.

I was so caught off guard that I stopped resisting. I felt myself being pulled back into the woods. I yanked at her hands and turned to get a look at who my attacker was…

**Bella**

Darkness. I was gasping for air. The sounds coming from my throat sounded inhuman. I tried to focus my eyes but there was a wave of dizziness and it made it difficult to see anything. I tried to rub my eyes and realized they were tied to a chair. My feet were also bound and I quickly started to panic.

What the hell was going on? I felt my head spin and nausea settled over my body. I started to heave and I tried to scream but all that came out was a painful, hoarse cough. I heard voices then…

"Ah, she's coming to. I'm glad. I had thought maybe you had done some brain damage there Mike. Then all of this trouble wouldn't have been worth it."

The voice was Carlisle's. I struggled to focus my eyes, but through the blur all I could make out was four bodies. Obviously one belonged to Mike and another to Carlisle. Who were the other two? I struggled as much as my body would let me. I wanted nothing more than to rub my eyes and help them focus but everything was so woozy. I felt wet and cold.

"Mike, time for the blind fold." Carlisle mumbled. I tried to scream again, but it ended in coughs. I cried. I saw a hand come near my face and I flinched away from it.

"Hey, Bella. Shhh don't cry." I heard Mikes voice say to me but it sounded devoid of human emotion. He placed a strip of fabric over my eyes. I started to shake and between sobs I choked. My throat was raw and dry. I needed water… something to help with the pain. I could hear whispers and mumbles. Then I heard a door open and someone else walked into the room.

"What the hell?" It was Edward. I started to thrash around. I tried to yell his name but my damn throat…

"Edward calm down." I heard his father say.

"Dad you better fucking explain! What the fuck is going on? Why is Bella hurt and tied? My god! Her neck! Sam! What the hell?" He screamed, panicked. It caused me to sob harder. Sam… He said Sam! Why wasn't Sam helping me? He was my father's protégé! How could he stand by and do NOTHING! I wept.

"Edward, calm DOWN! I'm going to explain this to you. No. Edward do NOT touch that girl." Carlisle snapped.

"Dad, please… Let her go, what… How could…" he stuttered he sounded scared and devastated. I heard a click. What was that? Is that a gun? I wish I could speak! The voices sounded like echoes, distant but still loud, too loud for my ears.

"NO!" I heard Edward scream.

"Are you going to calm down son?"

"Yes, yes! Dad. Okay… I'm fucking calm… What are you doing? Why… Why did you bring me here?"

"Edward, there's been a change of business for Cullen distributions. I need to know that you are capable of handling it. Tonight you are being tested."

"Tested?" Edward asked he voice scared.

"Yes. I need loyal employees. I have tried my best to hide it from you, but it seems that the supply is not quite filling the demand and I need the third distribution center as well."

"What does that have to do with Bella?"

"All in good time son." he answered shortly.

"You see, I've made a few extra contacts, some from out in California and Arizona, and some all the way east. It's growing. I need you to be on board with me. I need someone like Mike, who will be willing to do anything."

"Like Mike _Newton_?" Edward scoffed. "The only thing that asshole can do is snort a line and stack a box." I heard Carlisle chuckle.

"Fuck you pretty boy!" Mike yelled. I heard a scuffle and then Carlisle yelled.

"Enough! You two have to work together! I need a good team around me. I want to be able to trust you Edward. I'm afraid you have too much Elizabeth in you. She was good through and through and, well, I am not. You don't take after me in looks, but I have a glimmer of hope that maybe you will in ambition and since Mike was good enough to take care of Charlie for me, I was wondering if you'd be willing to take care of… her."

My mind was reeling. There was silence for what seemed like an eternity. My life was going to end tonight. I thought of Jacob. I wished he was here, he'd help me. Save me like he saved my heart. At least he will have that. I cried harder than I thought possible.

"Please, no." I cried my voice was faint, weak, and it cracked with pain. I heard Edward sob.

I shook my head. I could feel the blindfold slipping. The harder I cried the heavier with tears the blindfold became. I shook my head a little more but the motion caused pain in my neck. I shivered as a cold chill swept over my body.

"Why _her_? She hasn't done _ANYTHING_!" Edward screamed. I heard more feet shuffling.

"Because she matters to you. What better way to prove yourself son?" Carlisle said with total emptiness. He was such a monster.

"You realize, what you're doing right? If I went through with this for you I would hate you, loathe and despise you for eternity." Edward stated. My ears couldn't believe what he said. He was considering killing me.

"Don't be so melodramatic Edward. There's no room for theatrics, either you do it or Caius will see that she's taken care of. If you don't, well, I'm sorry to say but you will have to be handled as well." I gasped. How could he be so vile! To kill his own son!

Again silence. "What drugs do you supply dad?" Edward asked. I had a feeling he was trying to buy time.

"What difference does it make Edward? It's making us rich. That's the important factor. Everyone here is going to be rich. I have Caius who is my right hand man and will undoubtedly take over the business when my time is up. It would have been you, but I couldn't see you in my position. That is why we have this test. It's a sad thing that it has come to this in order for me to be able to _trust_ my own son. There's Sam who will be able to give his wife all the treatment and medical care she needs. There's Mike who can sell the burden of his dads business off and take care of his family. Everyone here is a winner. Well, not, everyone." He said sounding amused.

I rubbed my cheek on my shoulder, it sent a sharp pain through my neck, but it caused the blindfold to fall down. Everything was a blur at first. I tried to focus. I looked toward where Edward's voice was.

"Please, don't." I whispered.

"Shit Mike the BLINDFOLD!" Carlisle snapped but regained his composure. "Oh, well, I suppose it's just as well. I thought it would be easier on Edward if he didn't have to look into your eyes first…" He said and I started to hyperventilate. "Oh come now Isabella, it's this or you're sold at auction. I'm sure a quick death would be preferable in that instance. You never know what kind of sickos might snatch you up. The unthinkable injustices you could endure. No, this is much better. You'll get to be with your father."

I wept uncontrollably. I looked up at Edward, focusing for the first time. His eyes were alarmed, scared, confused. I shook my head no and he cried.

I heard an impatient sigh from Carlisle. He walked over to Edward and handed him a gun. "Do it quickly son. It's for the best."

Edward held the gun in his shaking hand and stared at it. He held it up pointing it at my head. I said a prayer and closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry." I heard Edward say and then there was a commotion. I opened my eyes and saw him point the gun at Carlisle. Caius and Mike both pulled a gun and pointed it at Edward, everyone was yelling, the sound causing an echo through my head. I winced in pain, and heard Sam, for the first time, speak. He yelled "Now! Now! Now!"

**Jacob**

I sat back against the tree. I stared into Emily's eyes. She flashed me her badge.

FBI

What. The. Hell? I looked at her with utter confusion. She certainly didn't look sick. I hardly remembered her at the funeral. I had so much going on myself, but she had a scarf on her head… She, looked sick. I stared at her with astonishment. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Jake, Charlie informed the FBI a month ago about Carlisle possibly running a drug cartel. We've been in on it since then. Apparently the FBI already knew, they planted Caius about a year ago."

"He said… You were sick."

"Carlisle preys on the weak and needy. We had to think of something to draw Carlisle's interest. Sam's been working undercover on this case for a while. He is eaten up with guilt that we couldn't save Charlie but we had no clue how many people were on Carlisle's payroll. We have another undercover in there. Caius Volturi. I know that you were going to question him, find out his involvement?"

I nodded my head. I sat back feeling like a fool. Why even bring me out here? They knew that bastard had something to do with it, why have me out here like a puppet?

"Sam told me he heard from you. Mike is definitely the one who killed Charlie?"

"Yes. On Carlisle's orders. I spoke with his wife Lauren, she confessed. She's at the station putting it in writing." My mind was whirling in disbelief.

"Good. Aro Volturi was also approached by the FBI. They asked him to replace the files. Not to throw _you_ off but to cover up so that Carlisle wouldn't catch on that we were on to him."

"What are we doing out here?" I asked.

"We are waiting on word from Sam when to come in. We've been out here an hour or so. SWAT is around the back."

"What happened to Bella why is she here?" I asked, my heart thumping loudly in my chest.

"I don't know. That's the problem. She wasn't a part of the plan. I am not sure what Carlisle is up to. Sam said Carlisle called and asked him to attend a meeting at this warehouse. That he was going to bring Edward in. Sam is taping the entire thing right now trying to get the evidence to finally put Carlisle away. Maybe Carlisle is using Bella as bait for Edward." Emily said the last part through gritted teeth.

"I have to go fucking get her Emily! I cannot just sit and WAIT!" I said loudly.

"Shut the hell up Jake. Okay? Sam is in there, he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her." She said quietly and firmly.

I laughed bitterly. "I don't know what the hell to believe anymore."

I paced back and forth. Running my hands through my wet hair. The rain was soaking me through. My jacket drenched, I was shaking from adrenaline and dread. If the rain let up enough sometimes we could hear a word or two that was said. Edward was yelling at one point, a series of shouting and then I heard Sam's voice over the radio.

"Now! Now! Now!"

I ran towards the door as SWAT burst in through the door and knocked out a window jumping in. I heard a series of screams, yelling, and a gunshot. Followed by more gunshots. My heart fell.

I ran to the door and saw blood splattered all over the walls and floor. A guy I had never seen before was laying on the ground his leg wounded. Edward laying on the ground motionless and Carlisle leaned up against the wall his shoulder bleeding. I ran past the shelves and saw Sam attending to Bella, she was covered in blood. I pushed Sam aside. My eyes painfully registering her wounds.

"Fuck, fuck Bella! Bella are you okay?" I yelled panicking

She lifted her head slightly and I saw the open wound on her neck. It looked as though she had been strangled and the wire had cut straight into her throat. Her eyes were bloodshot with busted blood vessels. My stomach formed into a huge knot and pain consumed my chest. Once Sam untied her hands, I felt her try to stand and run. She was shaking and crying uncontrollably and as she stood up, she fell into my arms.

"Bella, it's okay. It's okay." I said and she passed out, totally unconscious. I screamed for a medic. I held her cold, limp body in my arms praying that help would arrive soon. I tried to feel for a pulse but none was to be found. I screamed in agony clinging to her lifeless body.


	22. Renewal

**AN: So this is the final chapter. It's been a long ride and I am so happy you all have been on it with me. There will be an epilogue after this and it prolly wont be posted until March. I'm moving and things have been, and are, hectic. A huge shout out to the gorgeous and ultra talented TheUnderStudy for beta-ing this story. I am so happy to say I was awarded 2nd**** in the ToxicLautner Award for most realistic fic. Awesomeness! I have to say that the 1****st**** prize winner's story is amazing. If you haven't checked it out yet it is called My Body Is A Cage by RockSteady54. If you have PM'd me about reading your story I absolutely will and I will review them, but right now I BARELY have any time to do any fanfic related business. But once things settle I will be all over it. Thanks for reading/reviewing/alerting/fave-ing. I appreciate all of you soo much and from the bottom of my heart, this story wouldn't have been finished without all of you! Much love, and yes, yes. I know. Shut up Steph….**

_In cards and flowers on your window_

_Your friends all plead for you to stay_

_Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple_

_Sometimes good bye's the only way_

_Shadow Of The Day - Linkin Park_

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

_What's that sound?_ I thought through the haze. I slipped back into sleep.

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

I stirred a little. I wriggled my fingers and felt them being wrapped in something warm. I opened my eyes slightly and squeezed them shut again. The lights were so bright it made me wince.

"Bella? Hey, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can." I heard Jacob say softly.

I hummed a little which made my throat hurt. I wiggled my fingers again. I shook my head and felt some tubing that was blowing air in my nose fall down. I opened my eyes and slammed them shut. I tried to ask to turn down the lights but my voice came out a painful, raspy mess.

"Shh, Bella. It's okay. Rest your voice." I felt something warm being pressed to the back of my hand.

"I'm going to go tell the nurse your awake."

I didn't want him to go. My once warm hand felt cold and empty. I tried one more time to open my eyes and failed. I heard footsteps and I turned my head toward the sound keeping my eyes shut. I tried to say lights. I pointed up where the brightness was hurting my eyes.

"Oh!" I heard a female voice say. I heard more footsteps and I could tell from behind closed eyes the lights were off. I opened them again to see Jacob sitting in a chair next to the bed I was laying on. I saw a blonde haired nurse looking at a monitor next to my bed. It was monitoring my heart rate. I looked over to Jake.

I smiled a little at him. I felt fuzzy.

"Miss Swan. Hey, I'm Heidi. I'll be your nurse til 7. Do you know where you are? Don't speak just nod yes or no."

I looked around the room. It was a hospital. I nodded yes.

"Good. Do you know what year it is? Show me with your fingers."

I showed her and she smiled. I started to feel a little sleepy.

"Good. I'll let the doctor know your awake. He will be in very soon."

I looked over at Jacob who was holding my hand again. He partially stood up to press his lips against my forehead. I took a deep breath. I knew what had happened to me. I remember all of it. I just didn't want to think about it. I am not sure how I got here, or what the reason was but I figured it had something to do with the amount of blood I lost. I reached a hand up and felt my neck and felt bandages all around it.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked. I nodded yes. I tilted my head slightly and made sleepy eyes.

"Your sleepy?" I nodded yes again.

"Are you in any pain?" I shook my head no. I'm under the impression I have some first rate drugs in me making me feel pretty good. I smiled at him weakly.

"I was so scared Bella. So damn scared." I raised my hand and rubbed his cheek, it was scruffy with a five o'clock shadow. I grabbed his hand off the bed and raised it to my lips and kissed it. I held it against my cheek.

"Your mom is here, well, not here right this second but she is in town. She flew out here the second she heard what happened. She should be here soon."

My mind was blown. My mother was here? How long was I out for? I motioned to Jacob to get me a pen. He grabbed a pen and then walked over to a table where there was a paper menu and grabbed the side table tray and placed it in front of me. I smiled at him. I wrote:

_How long was I out?_

"Three days. You were in and out." I nodded. I could hardly remember anything about that. I was curious as to what had happened when everyone busted in. I remembered hearing gunshots. Then I saw Carlisle fall against a wall and I squeezed my eyes shut after that. I was so frightened and felt cold and sleepy. That was all I remembered. I wrote:

_Did Carlisle die?_

"No, he's in jail. Mike is put away too. Their trial dates aren't set yet." I nodded. Good.

_Sam and the other guy? What happened to Edward?_

I tried remembering what happened to Edward, but couldn't. Jacob was hesitant.

"Sam was working with the FBI to bring Carlisle's drug trafficking down. The other guy was with him. He was undercover for a lot longer than Sam. His name is Caius."

Right. I remembered that, but I thought he aimed at Edward. Right? Why would a FBI agent aim for Edward? I wrote it down and Jacob read it.

"He wasn't. He aimed at Mike, Mike was aiming at Edward." My mind clicked. From my angle it must have just looked that way. I pointed to Edwards name on the paper.

_Is he okay?_

Jacob tensed up. He shook his head slightly, looking down at our joined hands. My heart sank. I picked up the pen and wrote:

_What happened? _Sadness filled Jacob's eyes.

"Let's wait to talk about this. Okay? The doctor will be here soon. When he leaves, I'll fill you in on everything."

I clenched my jaw. I wrote:

_I'm fine. Tell me._

Jacob shook his head a little. "Mike shot him. He's going to be here a while. He was struck in the back. He is alive but he might be paralyzed from the waist down. They are doing tests…"

Tears filled my eyes. Jacob leaned up and kissed my forehead. I felt the tears fall from my eyes and he reached up and wiped them from my face. Not a moment later, the doctor walked in.

"Miss Swan? My name is Doctor Jenks. Please don't attempt to speak just yet.." His voice boomed loudly inside the small room.

"First of all, are you in any pain?"

I motioned to Jacob for the paper and pen.

_Only when I try to speak._

"Right. But nothing aside from that?"

I pointed to my eyes and then the light. The doctor smiled and continued. " You lost a significant amount of blood and had needed a transfusion. You have severe trauma to the neck and vocal chords. Your eyes also had a significant amount of stress placed on them. The light sensitivity that the nurse told me about will most likely get better within a day or two. As for your other injuries, that will take a while longer. It is our hope that you will make a full recovery, but the vocal trauma will take a while to heal."

I gave a quick nod to show I understood.

"The road to a full recovery will require some vocal therapy and patience. While you are here, we will be helping you swallow. It might feel like it does when you have a bad case of strep throat. Eating and drinking will require some effort. The good news is that too it won't last very long. Hopefully no longer than a week or two. As for your voice, it may be a few years before the raspiness subsides, if it ever does, but our hope is that you will be using your voice within a few months. You will need a white board to help for the resting periods and we will give you a prescription for any pain. Do you have any questions?"

I shrugged and shook my head no. The doctor grabbed my chart and wrote something in it. Before walking out the door, he said, "You will have to say here about a week, if you progress quickly. We want to make sure you're strong when you leave and we will get the therapist in here to talk to you soon. Take care Miss Swan. I'll be back this evening to check on you again."

I smiled a little and waved. When the doctor left the room I looked at Jacob. He hadn't shaved in a while. He had bags under his eyes, but his smile still lit up his face.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked. I smiled back slightly. I took the pen and looked up at Jake. I had so many questions but there was only one that was weighing on my mind.

_When do you have to go back?_

Jacob read the question and looked a little confused. "Visiting hours are til nine. But I've been here over night since you got here. Your mom flew in last night and I suppose she will want to stay with you tonight. So I guess I'll have to go at nine."

I closed my eyes and smiled then gave a little laugh. I took the pen so I could clarify.

_Work, Seattle? When do you go back?_

A look of surprise came over his face. He smiled at me. "I'm taking some vacation time. I don't have to be back for a while."

I leaned back and studied his face. He was holding something back.

_What is it Jake? _

He looked down at the ground.

"I don't want to go back without you. So I might not go back."

I pounded on the rail of the bed so he would look at me. His eyes met mine. I gave him a sharp look.

_Your career, your condo? What about all that? You cannot give all that up. What would you do if you stayed here?_ There was not much space left on the menu so I motioned for him to get more. He grabbed a paper dressing gown from a drawer. Whatever. It would work.

He placed the gown on the tray in front of me and then read the questions I had written.

"I could always work at Forks PD… Sam would hire me. I could make a life here with you."

I felt some tenderness around my neck where the bandages were. I pointed to my neck. Jacob pressed the nurse call button and looked at me waiting for my answer.

_I don't want you to have to turn your life upside down for me. Let's take our time. Don't give up your job. _

Jacob tensed up at what I wrote. I grabbed his hand with mine and kissed the back of it. The nurse came in and Jacob told her I was feeling pain. She left to go get some medicine.

"I've waited… wanting you for so long... Bella, I was so scared I was going to lose you. I am not going to spend another day without you in my life." His eyes were dark and intense. He took my hand that held his and kissed it. He leaned up and kissed my cheek lightly. I smiled at the warmth.

I didn't know what to think. The nurse came in and placed a syringe filled with medication in my IV line. It took only a few moments before my eyes felt heavy and the room was spinning. Jacob smiled at me and whispered in my ear. "I love you Bella." And I fell asleep.

**Three months later…**

**Jacob POV**

God, she is amazing. The first month was tough but she was such a fighter. She had the doctors amazed by how quickly she regained her strength and her voice is coming along. There is still a lot of roughness to her voice. Her therapist are all very encouraged by her progress and think she will recover more quickly than they had originally expected.

She has also been fighting with me, which she never wins because she's crazy if she thinks I'm going anywhere without her. I'm not going through all that again. No. I spoke to the Captain and I'm pretty sure I can get my job back when or if the time comes for us to make that kind of move. We have been talking a lot about the future. Well I've been talking, she's been white boarding. She was initially very mad at me for leaving Seattle. I sublet my condo on a 6 month lease and well, working at Forks PD is boring to say the least, but it's a job and it gives us the time she needs to get better.

She's been hinting that she wants to go to Seattle. She has some big plans apparently. To be honest, I would love to go back there. Get my place and old job back. But for now I'm perfectly content living here in Forks, making it work, helping her heal. I'm more amazed at the fact that she isn't as affected by what she went through as I thought she would be. I expected her to be pretty shaken and withdrawn at first, but she seems to have gotten stronger through it all. She has nightmares and when she does, I hold her till she feels safe and goes back to sleep. Other than that, you couldn't tell the hell she went through. She said that she was just thankful for what she was spared from. I think she is talking about Edward when she says that.

His recovery isn't going so smoothly. Bella has been there for him a lot. I can't blame her. He was an important part of her life and with everything that happened, he doesn't have much family left to help him. Other than Alice and Jasper, everyone else has deserted him. Alice is around a lot these days. It surprises me how cool she is with Bella and I being together. In fact, I think she is a pretty awesome chick herself. I never knew much of her before, not that I cared to know any of the Cullens, but she's all right by me.

As we speak, Bella is at the hospital with Edward. He had a therapy session she had to take him too. Alice is out of town for an event. I think I'm mostly fine with it because she doesn't look at him the way she looks at me. I know where her heart is, and even though she tells me all the time, I can see with my own two eyes how much she loves me. That makes everything I've done up to this point worth it.

I don't know what the future will hold for us, life is full of twists and turns. I imagine the worst is behind us and all I can see ahead of us is happiness.

I walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pretty little black box. It's the first gift I have ever bought a woman, possibly the most significant gift I'll ever give. I'm scared and nervous about giving it to her. I'm mostly sure she's going to accept it and love it but there's always a chance… Maybe it's too soon. I don't know, but it's a leap of faith I have to take. It feels right.

I hear the door knob wiggle and I shove the box back into the drawer and close it. I turned around and saw Bella smile at me with a huge smile. Her big brown eyes glowing with warmth.

"Hey, how'd it go?" I asked.

She smiled and gave me the thumbs up. "He did well." She managed to say. I could see she was excited about his progress her eyes would dance when he had a good day. She walked over to me and wrapped her hands up around my neck and looked up at me. I placed a soft kiss upon her mouth and heard her sigh.

"I need you to get dressed up. I'm taking you out tonight." I whispered in her ear. She pulled back and arched her eyebrow at me with a smile.

"Don't bother asking, it's a surprise." I said matter of factly.

She beamed up at me and turned to get ready. I turned around and opened the drawer to look at the gift one more time. I smiled and felt a warmth fill my chest. Yes. This girl is my forever. Tonight she was going to know it.


	23. Epilogue

**AN: Well folks, this is it. I have no words to describe how much I love each and every person who has taken the time to review (alert/fave). Kougasolderwoman: you've been with me since the very beginning, reviewing every chapter. A very heart felt thank you to you. To TheUnderStudy you're more than just a beta, I am so lucky to be able to call you a friend. Can't wait til November! :o) To all my friends/readers that I have been lucky enough to get to know, I love you all. To those hiding in the background you're special too and hope that everyone enjoys this HEA… I am sorry I haven't had the time to respond to all the reviews I will be catching up on that over the weekend. I've moved so things were hectic, but I truly appreciate you all… Without further ado…**

Epilogue

Jacob POV

My hands were shaking as I stood at the front of the alter waiting for my beautiful bride to meet me. I'd never been a nervous person, but the damn wedding jitters have made me a wreck. I shifted my feet around as I looked out at the rows of people there to celebrate this day. Some I was surprised came, others not.

My eyes met my father's. He beamed at me with a smile so big on his face that I was sure his cheeks hurt. I smiled back at him and fidgeted with my collar. Tuxedos may look nice, but they were really uncomfortable. My dad laughed and I looked to his right and see Sue sitting next to him. They were holding hands and I laughed as I remember that they too were nervous not too long ago. My dad's face turned crimson as he told me of their decision to live together. Of course Leah, Seth, and I had seen that one coming for a long time. Our parents were thrilled to see how much we liked the idea. The love between them had been obvious for a long time.

The one thing that I couldn't get over was how much Pita had become a part of the family. In fact, he was the ring bearer here today. Of course right now he was sitting on my father's lap, panting away. Carrying the pillow hardly bothered him at all. He enjoyed the attention. I laughed at the little pink tongue that was sticking out of the side of his mouth.

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and I turned to look at Tyler, my best man.

"You nervous bro?" He asked with an amused grin on his face.

I shook my head no with a slight frown on my face and then picked at some invisible lint on my jacket. I heard Tyler snicker and fought the urge to flip him off.

Working with Ty in Forks had been great. We had become best friends and I am excited to stand up as his best man soon. He and Angie were going to tie the knot a few months from now. You could bet I was going to give him hell too. I smiled at the thought. Of course, their wedding was going to be in Forks where mine and my beautiful soon-to-be wife were originally going to get married.

I remember the day we found this church. We had just moved into my condo. Bella had just finished signing the papers for the purchase of what was now a very popular diner called "Charlie's". We were on the way back to Forks to grab the last of our stuff and she had to use the restroom. I had made a wrong turn down a back road and it took us toward this church. Her eyes lit up the second she saw the place. It was one of those moments in time you don't forget.

As usual, the overcast clouds had been thick the whole day. It was somewhat chilly out since it was during that time when winter was starting to change to spring. We pulled up to the church, got out of the car and at that very moment the clouds opened up and a ray of sunshine lit up the entire church. It wasn't big or fancy, but the outside of it was beautiful. The designs along the front were intricately etched into it. She turned to me with a light in her eyes and said, "This is it. I'm going to marry you here." Her cheeks flushed with happiness and a rare, warm breeze blew around us. She looked like an angel standing there in front of the church and without hesitation I agreed. It was perfect.

And now, here I am, waiting for my angel to make her way up to me.

Bella POV

I thought I would be nervous. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and smiled. Angela was putting the finishing touches on my hair. I looked into the mirror and I saw the reflection of my mother standing there with tears in her eyes. She put her hands up to her face.

"Baby, you're so beautiful," she said softly. I felt the sting of tears hit my eyes and I smiled.

"Mom, don't start. I don't want to have to do my makeup over!" I said with a laugh as I dabbed a tissue at the tears that had threatened to surface.

It was amazing how close we had become over the past year. It was like the way it had been when I was younger. We laughed and talked all the time. She and Phil helped me with the plans for Charlie's Diner. Of course, the menu holds mostly my dad's favorite foods, but I had a few specialty dishes I threw in there as well. I was thrilled at how well it was doing. Opening a diner like that in Seattle had been a huge risk, but so far it has been worth it.

"Okay Bells. I think we are done," Angela said with a laugh and a small hug. I looked at myself one more time. I couldn't get over it. I'm about to marry Jacob Black. My best friend. The love of my life.

I chose a simple strapless gown and veil. Our bouquets were filled with small pink roses and baby's breath. I wanted simple and elegant to match the church we found.

"Bella, you're the most beautiful bride I have ever seen." My mother said and hugged me. I swallowed the knot that formed in my throat. Angela walked out of the room to inform them I was ready. As soon as she came back into the room, we could hear the piano playing the bridal chorus. I felt a flutter of butterflies in my stomach and I felt like running down the isle so I could see my groom.

I watched Angela walk out of the room with her pink bouquet of roses. Before she exited, she smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up. I laughed and felt my mother link her arm through mine. I never pictured my wedding day without my father, but I feel him around me. We watched as Angela slowly made her way up to the stage and I pulled my veil down to cover my face.

"So, how did you know about this church?" my mother asked softly.

"Know what about this church?" I asked back quietly.

She looked at me curiously. "This is where your father was baptized. I thought you knew."

My heart skipped. "Are you sure?" I said as I felt a knot in my throat.

My mother smiled at me and nodded. "We were supposed to get married here, your father and I, but it had been going under some renovations and it wasn't going to be ready in time."

I felt a tear fall down my cheek as I held back a joyful sob. Instead, I gave my mom a big hug and knew it was time for me to make my way up.

My mom looked at me astonished and whispered "I thought you knew." I shook my head and smiled tears in both of our eyes. Then with a squeeze of her hand, we stepped out together down the isle.

I walked down, glancing at the familiar faces of friends and loved ones. I saw Alice's smiling face and watched as she rubbed her round pregnant tummy. I beamed at her and Jasper. Edward sat next to them with his new girlfriend Heidi. She was his nurse while he was in recovery. When I first noticed their connection, I started to back off in helping him. It worked out beautifully. He is doing really well and may have full use of his legs by the end of the year. We are all very happy for him.

I turned my eyes to the front of the church and my breath hitched as I saw my handsome groom, his eyes holding mine. I smiled and felt the flutter in my stomach return. I swallowed hard as we reached the front. My mother was still holding my arm in hers.

"Who gives this woman to be married?" The pastor asked, looking at my mother.

There was a pause and I looked at her. Tears fell down her face and her voice wavered as she said "Her father and I do."

I took a large deep breath to keep the sob from escaping my mouth and I smiled warmly at her. She hugged me and I turned and took my place next to Jacob. I handed my bouquet to Angela and placed my hands in Jacob's. The warmth of his touch soothed me and I smiled as our eyes locked. He smiled back, his eyes brimming with tears. I knew that this wedding would be beautiful, but that it would have a touch of sadness too. The part where my father was absent affected us all. But what I didn't expect was how complete I felt. I knew that Jacob was my forever and I would love and cherish him always. I also knew that no matter where I was, my father was there loving and watching over me. He was happy today and so was I. I looked at the pastor. He smiled sweetly at me, his eyes sparkling.

"Dearly beloved…"


End file.
